Star Wars: Kandosii'tal
by CDrake
Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… The galaxy has fallen under the rule of the Empire. Order is kept through fear, and the terrified masses are left to fend for themselves. In this harsh, unforgiving galaxy, a boy will discover that he is a child of two worlds, both hunter and hunted. He must learn to embrace both sides of his heritage…or be consumed by the coming darkness.
1. Family Business

Mandalore

15 years BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin)

"They're beautiful."

Xander Caden looked over at his sweating wife with dreamy eyes and nodded slowly in affirmation, returning his gaze to the two newborns in their arms. One was lighter-skinned, with light brown hair and gentle, ice-blue eyes that were alternating between the both of them. He had stopped crying, much to their surprise, less than ten minutes after birth, just five minutes before his much more impetuous brother came out, vocals blaring at max. He hadn't stopped crying since, although it was less crying and more…raging, as if he were a force of nature begging to be released. His appearance was as different compared to his brother as his behavior, with jet-black hair and dark blue eyes that were narrowed to slits in his infantile rage. Telia giggled at his baby pouting and the wild flapping of his flabby arms, gently poking her son in the stomach and watching in delight as he suddenly stopped screaming, instead opting to stare at her with confused eyes.

"This one's a fighter," she cooed, nuzzling his soft baby skin and breathing in his scent before looking over at her husband. "Takes after his father."

Xander slid into bed next to his wife and pressed his hip against hers, cuddling close as they held their newborns next to each other. "I don't seem to remember his mother being such a bad fighter herself."

Telia snuggled closer to him. "But only his father has such perfect hair." She mock pouted as she ran a hand through her own. "Mine is so coarse and grainy."

The man pressed his lips to her head. "You ever hear me complain?"

She ran her free hand over his chest as her head leaned on his shoulder. "Mmm, never."

They both lay there for a long time, staring at the gentle rise and fall of their children's chests in parental glee. They had waited so long for this, and now, they were perfect. Xander ran a hand through his younger son's hair, smiling gently.

"So what are we going to call them?" he asked his wife.

She smiled at him, then at them both, turning her gaze to the calm one, who was staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. She smiled wider. "Alen. Alen Li-am, after a great ancestor." Telia ran a hand through his thin hair as her husband waited for her to explain. "He was a Jedi Knight over three thousand years ago during the war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Ever curious, ever questioning."

"And opposed to the separation of emotions from Knighthood, I'd wager."

Telia gave him a cheeky smile. "Well, considering he eventually ended up marrying his own apprentice, I'd assume so."

Xander's eyebrows went far up. "Woah…not…exactly the answer I was expecting." He shrugged in approval. "_Kandosii_."

Telia scrunched up her face. "Still can't nail down what that means, for the life of me."

Her husband scratched the back of his head. "It's…complicated. Like most phrases in Mando'a, it has multiple meanings ranging from technical to colloquial. Technically, _kandosii_ means 'relentless,' or 'indomitable.'"

Her face flashed realization. "Your ship, the _Kandosii'tal_—_Indomitable Blood_."

He smiled and nodded. "Exactly. In that case, the meaning's literal. When used colloquially, though, it means something more like…well, it's a compliment, or a cheer. Effectively, 'kudos.'"

"Ah." She stroked little Alen's thin hair, turning her gaze to the unnamed boy after a while. "What about him? He certainly has your temperament."

Xander smiled as he watched the infant grab his thick index finger with both tiny hands, then bring his gums down on it hard. He chuckled lightly along with his wife.

"Barely an hour old and already taking after you."

He pouted at her. "I'll have you know that I rarely ever use my teeth in a fight." His mouth curved in a smirk as he looked back at the baby. "Or, in his case, gums."

Telia giggled. "Well?"

Xander wore a frown of concentration as he racked his mind. "Xel. Xel Caden."

"Any particular reason?"

"Xel was the name of a man I knew in the Outer Rim. One of my closest friends before the war. Not much of a fighter, but he gave his heart and soul to help me whenever I needed it." He ran a hand over the boy's head gently. "I fully intend on him being a fighter, but without that dedication, that loyalty…he might as well be muscle for hire." Xander scowled slightly. "And no son of mine will _ever_ share that title as long as I have any say in the matter."

She pressed her lips against his cheek and whispered in his ear. "I know. You're far too honorable for that."

Xander looped his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her body against his tightly, staying silent for a long time as he enjoyed the company of his family. "_Ner aliit_." My family. "Beautiful."

Her smile faded. "And temporary."

His eyes screwed up tightly, and he sighed. "What are you talking about?"

"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answers to? I can _feel_ them, Xander. I could feel them the moment they were conceived…and I know _you_ can too."

He sighed again, heavily. "I had hoped…I was wrong. That I was just imagining it."

"No, love. I…I almost wish we were…but we're not. As they grow, so will their presence in the Force, and there will come a point when we will be unable to hide them."

"Are you sure? There must be a way to—"

"You can barely keep _yourself_ hidden, Xander, much less two children, and I'm not talented enough to keep them both hidden and still perform normally."

"Then we _teach_ them. Our family isn't meant to be separated, no matter how dire the circumstances."

"Xander, please. You _know_ what the Empire will do if they discover their existence. The Emperor will stop at _nothing_ to possess them, and sooner or later, he'll succeed. Our only chance—_their_ only chance is in anonymity. You know I'm right."

His fists clenched around the baby wrappings of Xel. "Yes, I know…damn you. We'll have to separate them." He ran a hand across his sons' heads. "But not yet."

"No," she agreed, leaning back into his shoulder. "Not yet."

…

13 years later

Coronet City, Corellia

2 years BBY

"How much exactly?"

"14K alive, 10 dead."

Xander's eyebrows raised within his Mandalorian helmet. "Quite a haul. What did he _do_?"

The CorSec officer's eyes narrowed and lips pressed together as he averted his gaze. "Something…disgusting. Trust me, you don't want to know."

Xander nodded slowly. "I see." He turned his head to look behind him, spotting a slightly shorter body in a blue and silver suit of full Mandalorian armor. Although he was standing straight with perfect posture, Xander could tell that his son was having trouble adjusting to the weight. He gave him a nod and turned back to the officer. "We'll take the job."

The man, a balding lieutenant, sighed in relief. "Good. This psycho's escaped justice long enough." Xander nodded and turned for the door, but the officer grabbed his arm and leaned in close, whispering. "Look, the department posted this bounty, but between you and me, this guy doesn't deserve to live. I'll pay you the full fee no matter how you get him, dead or alive."

"I appreciate the gesture," Xander said, gently pulling away from his grip, "but I'm a man of honor. I'll bring him in—alive."

The lieutenant gulped and nodded at the harsh tone that came from the t-visored helmet's vocalizer. "Y-Yes sir."

Xander turned away and motioned to his fully armored son, striding for the door with his typical fast pace as they exited the precinct.

…

1 hour later

Coronet Spaceport, Corellia

"So where was he seen last?"

Xel couldn't quite understand the mess of strange sounds coming from this Aqualish's mouth. The language didn't agree with him, although he picked up a phrase or two, just enough to get the gist of the conversation.

"I see," his father said, index fingering the knife at his shoulder absently as the alien continued in his explanation. "Well," he said after another minute or so, reaching into a pouch at his belt, "you've been very helpful." He slapped a twenty-cred chip into the alien's open palm. "Thank you." As they walked away together, Xander could feel his son's discomfort. "You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Just…" He grunted as he swung his right arm in a slow circle. "Just breaking it in."

"I meant the job, but that too."

"Oh. Well, I mean…you've got the lead here. I'm just the student."

Xander smiled behind his helmet's faceplate and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You're more than that, Xel."

"I know," he said, squirming slightly at the fatherly contact. He was sure they were being stared at. After all, most of the galaxy believed Mandos to be cold, ruthless killers. How would it look to have the _auretiise_ see how they _really_ were around each other?

Xander smiled wider and chuckled almost noiselessly, pulling his hand away as they kept walking back to the ship. He knew exactly what was going through his son's head, having once been in the exact same position with _his_ father. Sooner or later, Xel would learn that it didn't matter what the _auretiise_ thought of them. Mandos were Mandos, and no one's notions, preconceived or otherwise, could change that.

They reached his Kuat Heavy Striker a few minutes later, the beast of a ship representing home as much as transportation. Aptly named, the _Kandosii'tal_ sported over a half-dozen heavy turrets and turbolasers alone with armor to match. Its engines had been refitted over a dozen times, and the power core was meant for a ship twice its size, allowing it greater draw for its weapons and propulsion. A mastery of Mandalorian engineering, the modifications to the vessel were worth more than the ship itself. In addition to the craft's considerable weaponry and other systems, a Spartan, three-man crew deck had been built into its hull, allowing Xander and two others to live on it for an indefinite period of time. It was the perfect vessel for Mandalorians, the very essence of nomadic life.

Xel gave out a long sigh of relief as he popped the seal on his helmet and pulled it off, setting it on his personal weapons locker in the crew deck. "Home sweet home." He ran a hand over the _beskar_ helmet, admiring the sigils carved into its near-indestructible surface before doffing the rest of his armor, folding the flight suit neatly and stacking the armor plates in a way that would allow quick donning. Dressed in a black jumpsuit and boots, he made his way to the cockpit, where his father was tuning the systems and performing the pre-flight check. "So, did we have any saboteurs this time, _buir_?"

Xander involuntarily winced at the reminder of the previous month's…excitement. "No, _ad'ika_, not this time. Coronet has much better security than Nal Hutta…and much better crime rates, current mission aside."

Xel plopped into the copilot seat of the vessel, checking his side of the instruments as meticulously as he did every time. "So Dad," he said after a while, "what we do...bounty hunting..."

"Yes?"

"Why do we do it, exactly?"

"It's...something like the family business."

"No, I mean…if they wanted to get this guy so badly, why didn't they send one of their _own_ to pick him up?"

Xander pursed his lips and shook his head, right hand reaching absently for the ignition switch of their sublight engines. "It's politics, son. Jurisdiction. Criminals run to seedy places like Nar Shaddaa—and basically every other world under Hutt control—because they don't extradite criminals. With very few exceptions, if you commit a crime in a 'civilized' section of space and manage to get that far, you're safe. Hutts aren't too choosy about the company they keep…not most of them, anyway."

"And they can't send in one of their agents because…?"

"Because if they do, they'll be breaking galactic law _and_ risking their necks not only against the target they're after, but the veritable sea of criminal _shabuire_ that would just love to put two in their back."

"So they send in bounty hunters to counter both dangers."

Xander nodded. "Since we're independent contractors, we're not bound by jurisdiction, and since bounty hunters are, in most cases, viewed as criminals in their own right, we don't draw too many stares."

Xel nodded in understanding and double-checked his last readings. "Okay, all good here."

"Good on my end. Ready to fly."

The younger Mando smiled widely as his father expertly took them upward, turning right 90 degrees before kicking in the sublight engines and jetting them into the air, arcing out of atmosphere into the void of space.

"Hyperdrive online." Xander flicked a switch. "Coordinates locked." He gave his son a nod. "Punch it."

Xel grinned and pushed the lever between them forward, bracing himself for the familiar jolt of rapid acceleration. Star points in the black beyond their viewport turned to streaks of white as they accelerated past the speed of light, breaking off into the blue tunnel of hyperspace. No matter how many times they jumped, Xel never got tired of it, the thrill of the movement, the snap of the ship, and the amazing quiet that followed once they were on their way. It was all so jolting and contrasting and…freeing. Although it had once been hard for him to accept, he now understood the appeal of a nomadic lifestyle, and why so many Mandos could choose and had chosen to live this way.

"And we're on our way," his father remarked, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "You should get some rest. Won't do either of us much good if you pass out in the middle of a fight."

Xel rolled his eyes. "_Buir_, you and I both know that'll never happen."

Xander grinned. "Of course not, but you've hardly napped these past few days, and I don't want your response time being sluggish."

The boy sighed heavily. "Fine, but let me know when we're close. You are _not_ leaving me on the ship again."

Xander's smile faded. Last job, the one he'd promised would be Xel's first, he had left his son on the Striker with no way to find him, but not because he'd forgotten. He genuinely hadn't wanted Xel along for that bounty. His son had matured greatly for his age, even among Mando boys, but there were still some things he wasn't meant to see. The memory of that mission still left a darkness on his mind, and he shuddered to think how that would have affected Xel. He shook his head and snapped himself back to the present.

"No, son, not this time." He rose and clapped the boy on the shoulder. "This time we hunt together." Xander gently shoved his son in the direction of the crew deck. "Now get some rest."

"Yes sir."

…

Nar Shaddaa

They had visited a half dozen seedy clubs and dives that Xander knew from experience were frequented by criminals and fugitives. Thus far, they had discovered that their target, one Len Taekis, a Twi'lek, was made of smoke and mirrors. Rumors and hearsay were all they had to go on, and Xel was getting aggravated. At this point, he hoped for a lucky number seven. As always, their entrance drew more than a few heads. Wherever they went, Mandalorians had a reputation that preceded them. One walking into a bar in full armor just for pleasure was about as rare as a Hutt with two tails. It was no surprise, then, that many of the patrons, some hardened criminals, gave the, not one, but _two_ Mandos a wide berth as they strode up to the bar. The taller one in blue-gray armor laid his left forearm on the counter as his right reached for a holo at his belt.

"Len Taekis," he said, laying the picture within view of the bartender.

The person behind the counter, an Ithorian, shook his massive head before speaking in his native tongue, a language that Xel could actually understand. "Not one of my regulars, for sure."

"He wouldn't be," Xander said quietly in his vocabulator-distorted voice. "He's a recent fugitive."

The Ithorian's four throats sighed powerfully in understanding. Anyone and everyone who ran a club on the Smuggler's Moon knew the endless cycle of crime and flight that their world saw. "I see. I don't keep an eye out for that sort of thing, but you could ask Chell." He nodded to a smoke-filled section of the bar, where a green-skinned Nautilan was breathing in the heavy, sweet-smelling steam produced by his pipe.

"My thanks," Xander said to the 'tender, slapping a cred chip on the counter before striding off. "Xel, stay at the bar and keep an eye out. I've got a bad feeling about this."

The boy nodded to his father and kept his head on a swivel, sharp mind automatically marking all the exits and entrances, the tight, shadowy corridors, anything and everything that could be used for an ambush.

"Hey stranger."

Xel turned his armored head toward the source of the voice, revealing a scantily clad Zeltron in his view, her finer assets barely obscured by the thin fabric she wore. Not even the heavy smoke from the Nautilan's pipe, which was drifting toward them with an outflow of air, could obscure the fact that she was very attractive.

"Ma'am," he said respectfully, dipping his helmeted head slightly in greeting.

"You lookin' for somethin'?"

"_Someone_, actually."

A sly smile came to the red-skinned woman's face as she posed suggestively. "Really?"

"Not the way you think." He patted his hips, where two Mandalorian Assault Pistols were holstered.

Her eyebrows went up slightly. "Ah. I see." She didn't seem put off in the least, opting to lean her side against the bar as he was doing, the two facing each other. "So who's the unlucky fierfek?"

Xel's eyes narrowed. "I'd rather not say." His lips curved slightly upward as he laid a hand on her arm. "He's a dangerous fellow, and I wouldn't want a nice girl like you to get in any kind of trouble."

She put a hand to her chest and batted her eyelashes at him appreciatively. "Such a gentleman. Not a common trait these days."

He scoffed. "You only think _that_ 'cause you're never among Mandos. With exceedingly rare exceptions, we treat our _cyar'ike_ right."

"Huh?"

He coughed discreetly. "Excuse me. Sometimes I forget who can speak our language."

"Guess that's because you're _always_ around Mandos."

"That'd be my wager, yes."

She was silent a while. "So, you here alone?"

He raised an eyebrow inside his helmet and struck a pose. "Why? You lookin' to steal me away?"

She smiled and looked away mock demurely. "Maybe."

He sighed audibly. "Sadly, I'm on the job, and as much as I'd like to…" He ran a gloved hand through her raven-black hair and brushed his fingers over the back of her neck. "I don't mix work and pleasure."

She pouted exaggeratedly and leaned away from the bar. "Shame." She leaned in close and whispered huskily into the side of his helmet. "Maybe once you've tracked down your prey, you can put _me_ on your hit list. I'd certainly like to see what those…guns of yours can do."

He smiled malevolently. "Maybe you will," he purred back deeply, gently grasping her hand for a moment before letting her glide away. He watched the sway of her hips as she strode out of the club and out of sight. His eyes narrowed to slits inside his helmet as his voice turned darker. "Maybe you will."

…

1 hour later

"Are you sure about this?"

Xel nodded emphatically. "Between the intel you got from the Nautilan and the conversation I had, this is definitely the place."

Xander looked at the abandoned industrial building dubiously. His contact _had_ mentioned that Taekis was in business with a Trandoshan gang that ran this area, but to be so specific…

"What _exactly_ led you here?"

Xel sighed heavily. He had explained this to his father at least a half-dozen times in the last half hour, but as he reflected on the conversations, he realized he was probably talking a thousand miles a minute. "Okay, there was this Zeltron that walked into the bar." He saw his father's eyebrows raise massively. "No, it's not the beginning of a joke. She strode right over to me and struck up a very…suggestive conversation."

Xander stared at him for a few seconds. "And?"

"And she came on to me before she found out I was on the hunt."

His father's eyes narrowed. "How much did you tell?"

"No specifics, except that our target's a dangerous man. She was…touched by my concern for her safety, and complimented me for it."

"How exactly does that help us find Taekis?"

"I put a tracker on her neck when she thought I was admiring her hair."

"Why?"

Xel scrunched his face up. "I…I don't know exactly. Something just felt…off about her. I don't know how to describe it. It was…like a gut feeling, except…I don't know, more…real? More certain?"

Xander's lips parted slightly, and his eyes narrowed almost indiscernibly. "I see," he said firmly. He could remember all too well the first time he felt that way… "No harm in investigating, then."

Xel's face flashed surprise before he nodded. "Right." His helmet went on before he checked his weapons and equipment. In addition to his Mandalorian APs, Xel was packing a serrated durasteel knife on the right side of his belt and a pair of wrist rocket launchers with extra power packs. His left gauntlet sported a grappling hook in addition to a liquid cable launcher at his belt. His suit was _beskar'gam_, a rare full set of Mandalorian iron armor, a near-indestructible metal resistant even to lightsaber strikes. His father had a similar set with a Mandalorian shoulder cloak, though the silvery color of his armor was much darker. Xel had once asked Xander what it meant.

In Mandalorian armors, colors were chosen very specifically, and were often symbolic. This was certainly Xander's case. The dark blue that comprised the pauldrons, gauntlets, and other highlights of his armor represented reliability, and the gray that served as the majority of his color scheme stood for mourning. Specifically, mourning a lost love. On his right pauldron was the symbol of Mandalore in red, and on his left in orange—honoring his father and a lust for life. As Xel prepared to enter the building, he couldn't help but wonder about the story behind the left pauldron. Considering the predominant gray scheme of his armor, he would think that gold, the color of vengeance, would feature somewhere, but it didn't, although there was a fine line between orange and gold.

Xel's own armor was essentially a bare canvas apart from the blue highlights. The bright silver was not symbolic, and no other color schemes featured. He was too young, too untried and inexperienced to truly have something to dedicate his _beskar'gam_ to. Both of them sported jetpacks with designs congruent to the rest of their armor, shying away from the missile-mounted packs carried by most Mandos to favor a streamlined design built for distance and speed. His father was packing a pair of Mandalorian APs and a BlasTech T-27A2 Assault Blaster Rifle, codenamed the Blackjack. With a compact design, three modes of fire, and a side-mounted grenade launcher, the rifle was the perfect tool in armor-busting crowd suppression.

_Probably came in handy during the war,_ Xel mused as he followed his father to the edge of the building they were perched on. Xander gave him a nod before diving off the structure with his son in tow, both of them activating their jetpacks and curving back upward, using their previous downward momentum to rocket toward the building. Landing softly on a windowsill, Xander motioned for him to activate helmet comms. Xel complied with a nod, turning off his external vocabulator in favor of helmet-to-helmet communication.

"Not sure what we're going to find in there," Xander said over the link, "but if Trandos are involved, be extra careful. They're strong as _haran_ and just as vicious. You _definitely_ don't want to go up against them in close quarters."

"They can't possibly pierce this armor, not with their teeth or claws, anyway."

"I agree. The armor may make you impervious to their strikes, but your flight suit isn't quite as indestructible. They'll find the gaps and dig in if you're not careful, so if you do have to get close, cut and run. Literally."

"Copy."

With a nod of understanding to each other, Xander activated a plasma torch built into his right gauntlet, cutting away a grate that led to the building's ventilation system. They both clambered in, going through one darkened vent after the next until they reached the ceiling of a large, open room about 40 feet tall. Xander tapped the side of his helmet twice, activating a long-range microphone on the antenna of his helmet, which shifted forward and down to line up with his eyeslit. He transmitted the feed to Xel.

"How soon can you get me offworld?"

_Voice. Male. Taekis, I'd wager. _

"Depends on how much you can pay."

_Deep-voiced hiss. Reptilian. Trando captain._

"Look, I already paid you to put me up here for two months in advance. Take your money from there."

More hisses. "Not good enough. Maila said she ran into a Mando earlier. Was standing at a bar with your holo laid out on the counter."

"She _what_?"

_My thoughts exactly._ Xel mentally facepalmed. How could he have forgotten to conceal the holo?

"Wasn't alone, either."

That drew the attention of both hunters.

"Oh? Do tell," Taekis added with some bite.

"Ever heard of Dengar?"

_Dengar?_ By the sudden tension in Xander's frame, he recognized the name.

"No…no, no, no, you're telling me that Fett _and_ Dengar are after me?"

"Not Fett, Tails, a Mando. Wrong armor. Still means trouble, which means extra pay for us not to just cut you loose."

"All...all right, fine. Just…get me out of here before one of those lunatics puts a bolt between my eyes."

"Little late for that!"

Xel could almost _feel_ the mental head-bashing on his father's end as the harsh voice of their Corellian competitor bounced around the metal walls of the warehouse below, along with the sound of a repeating blaster rifle opening up on the Trandos. Two fell to Dengar's ruthless assault before the reptiles even had a chance to fire back. Taekis was already running for his life and had rounded a corner in the building. Xander nodded to his son, and they kept moving through the ducts, the older man keeping track of their target's movements by monitoring the amplified sounds of his footsteps. When they were right above him, Xander gave the signal, and they blasted a hole through the floor of their tunnel, free-falling 20 feet before kicking in their jetpacks, three barrels leveled against the cowering Twi'lek as they lowered to the ground.

"Please don't kill me!"

Xel could hear the snarl in Xander's voice when he responded. "Stop sniveling, _hut'uun_." Coward. The ultimate insult among Mandos. "You're not dying today. Xel, cover him." Xander lowered his rifle and marched over to him, slapping a pair of stun cuffs on his wrists before hauling him to his feet. The elder Mando nodded toward a back exit a moment before a plasma bolt smacked into the ground between them.

"Hold it." Dengar approached them cautiously, his rifle leveled against Xel's dual pistols. "That's _my_ bounty."

"Not anymore," Xander responded with no small amount of disdain. "Your antics at the front cost you precious time, and as we all know, time is money. It's over."

Dengar smiled maliciously. "Is it now?"

"Do _not_ test me, hunter. You may be used to hunting the scum and lowlifes of this galaxy from one end to the next, but if you go up against _me_, you'll find yourself on the wrong end of a hunt."

The two master hunters faced off for a very long, tense moment before Xel spoke up. "Is 14K _really_ worth dying over?"

Dengar gave the boy a long look before turning back to his target and the taller Mando. He shrugged and lowered his weapon after a few more seconds. "Fine. You win this time, but Xander? You are no Boba Fett." He and the Mando exchanged a long glaring session. "Just remember that."

Xander sneered. "If you ever run into him again, tell him that Xander Caden says that he owes me a _buy'ce be ne'tra gal_."

Xel was sure Dengar had no idea what that meant, if the warning expression on his face was any indication.

…

The two hunters and their bounty left the warehouse without further incident, getting back to their ship in record time and sending proof of capture to Coronet. Upon takeoff, Xel checked his personal comm. channel and found a holomessage waiting for him.

"Hello there handsome." Maila was standing on the other end wearing the outfit he'd seen her in last. She was leaned against some kind of furniture, but the picture was distorted for everything except her. "I have to say, that was a very _sneaky_ move on your part, back at the club. Very sneaky and very naughty…but I'm not going to complain. All's fair in love and war, and the Twi'lek was getting on my nerves anyway." She gave a seductive smile to the camera. "I have to say, it was quite a thrill, finding out I'd been outsmarted. You were right about me not knowing your kind. Everyone thinks they're just a bunch of trigger-happy armored morons, but you're not, are you?

"A good hunter needs more than just firepower and muscle. It takes wits, cunning…manipulation, even." She smiled at him predatorily. "Thus far, you've proven that you have all three. Well done." She rolled her head in circles several times. "If you're ever on the Smuggler's Moon again, I may have business for you…and pleasure. Since you don't mix the two, we'll have to schedule them for separate days. I'm looking forward to it. Oh, and in case you didn't catch it, the name's Maila. Maila Yar. Be seeing you." Maila blew a single kiss into the camera, and the message ended.

Xel let out a long breath and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair, slumping back onto his bed as exhaustion overtook him, a small smile coming to his face. _First job and I'm already getting propositioned? Thought it took Dad at least 20._ Setting that aside, he gave into the blackness and numb bliss of sleep.

...

Coronet City, Corellia

"That went well."

Xel could only nod in agreement, patting his pockets with purpose to make sure that it was all real. 7000 credits now sat in his possession, the first haul of his first job in the family business.

"There's more where that came from if you keep up the good work."

Xel looked up at his father and smiled as they strode back to the spaceport. "You know I will."

Xander gave his son a friendly pat on the back. "That I do, _ad'ika_. After all, you are your father's son. I've known that since the day you were born, and so did your mother."

Xel's smile vanished behind the helmet's faceplate, and he paused mid-stride for barely a split-second. "You...don't mention her a lot."

The elder Caden let out a long sigh. "No, I don't...but I should. There's so much you should know..." Another sigh. "But not yet."

"That's what you've been saying since I was old enough to ask."

"And I'll keep saying it until you're ready. I promise you, answers _are_ coming. Soon. You believe me, don't you?"

Xel pressed his lips together firmly before nodding. "Of course, _buir_. You always keep your promises."

"And no matter what, I want you to do the same." He bumped the front of his helmet against the upper side of Xel's, the only way to kiss someone in full armor. "_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum_, Xel."

The boy smiled and looked down as his father looped an arm around his shoulders, the fatherly action not making him as uncomfortable as before. Xel was no longer fresh meat, no longer new to the family business. He had overheard Xander talking to his adoptive brother Teras over holocom on the trip to Corellia. His father had called him "_mandokarla_"—the right stuff—and that more than anything gave him a feeling of pride and acceptance. So he looped an arm around Xander's shoulders right back.

"_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, buir_."

_I love you too, Dad._

* * *

AN: Welcome to the _Beskar'la Aliit_ (Iron Clan) trilogy, my most ambitious project to date. I got the inspiration for this story several years ago, but never had the impetus and knowledge to start until now. I originally wanted this to be one massive story, but seeing as how it spans an in-universe period of about 15+ years, I decided that between the necessary filler and _massive_ plot arcs, it's virtually impossible to do all that in such a constricted space. I'd eventually feel like I'm not getting anything done, not getting anything finished. I truly hope that you enjoyed this opening chapter and are looking forward to the journey I'm planning to take you on. _K'oyacyi_, as the Mandos would say, and look forward to weekly updates.

P.S.: The primary alternate language I use in this fic is called Mando'a, an actual language created and owned by author Karen Traviss. If you haven't, I would definitely recommend reading her Republic Commando series. If there's anything you don't understand based on either context or direct explanation in my writing, a full record of phrases, vocabulary, and grammar can be found on the Star Wars wiki under the article "Mando'a."

_Oya, ner vode_, and please review and recommend.


	2. Mandalore

AN: For future reference, I know they use metric/SI units in Star Wars, but for the life of me, I can't think in those terms for the long haul. For convention and my sanity's sake, I will be posting in Imperial units. Sorry about the disparity, but I don't feel like doing conversions every time I need to mark a unit down precisely.

As always, please review and recommend.

* * *

The boy smiled and looked down as his father looped an arm around his shoulders, the fatherly action not making him as uncomfortable as before. Xel was no longer fresh meat, no longer new to the family business. He had overheard Xander talking his adoptive brother Teras over holocom on the trip to Corellia. His father had called him "_mandokarla_"—the right stuff—and that more than anything gave him a feeling of pride and acceptance. So he looped an arm around Xander's shoulders right back.

"_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, buir_."

_I love you too, Dad._

…

2 months later

Mandalore

1 year, 10 months BBY

"Wake up. Oi, Xel! Wakey wakey..."

A low groan came from under a pile of pillows and blankets as the boy in question reluctantly clawed his way from the bottom of a very peaceful sleep to the land of the living.

"_Usen'ye_," he groaned incoherently, just loud enough that he could hear himself, but the person calling after him in the distance couldn't. Something told him Uncle Teras would react less than favorably if he cussed him out this early in the day. Shaking the sleep out of his bones, he shoved the blanket off before yelping at the sudden cold and diving for the fallen item before wrapping himself in it. The musical laughter of his Zabrak uncle reached his ears as the much older man laughed at his reaction. "What happened while I was out?" Xel asked incredulously. "The sun vanish or something?"

Teras chuckled a few more times before offering the boy a hand. "No, you're just used to climate control and not the crisp, clear mornings of _Manda'yaim_."

Xel reluctantly took his hand and let the blanket drop off his shoulders, shivering at the morning air seeping through the door that he was sure Teras left open on purpose. "Cold or no," the boy said soberly, "it's good to be back."

Teras smiled widely and clapped him on the shoulder as he marched off to get dressed. "No arguments there, _ad'ika_."

Two minutes later, the younger Caden stepped out of the 'fresher wearing a pair of blue mechanic pants and a dark gray synthleather jacket with his typical boots. "So why the early wakeup?"

Teras' eyebrows shot up. "Early?" He checked his chrono exaggeratedly. "Half the day's gone already."

Xel's jaw dropped. "What?!" Before his uncle could stop him, he sprinted out the door of their one-story residence into the crisp cool of the morning, scrambling to find the nearest speeder bike they owned. He leapt aboard and gunned the engine, easily going well over 200 mph. He streaked past a cluster of Mandos at an intersection, narrowly missing clipping one of their shoulders as he spun the bike in a spiral. The loud expletives shouted in his direction were drowned out between the roar of the speeder's engine and the loud hammering of his heart in his ears. _Can't _believe_ I'm late…on my first day back!_

The bike whirred to a stop as he kicked in the airbrakes hard, leaping off as soon as it halted and sprinting into the foundry ahead of him. Ducking under a piece of machinery, he spun around a metallurgist hard at work, finding who he was looking for a moment later.

"Elek!" he shouted.

The burly, thick-set man lifted a welding visor off his face and arched an eyebrow at Xel. "To what?"

Xel smirked at his customary joke. _Elek_, Mando'a for "yes." Xel wasn't sure why his parents named him that, because he was certainly no "yes man." "Sorry I'm late. Space lag takes its toll."

Elek nodded in understanding but still had a reprimanding expression on his face. "Forging _beskar_ properly isn't just a trade, _ad'ika_, it's an art. One that takes patience, practice, and, most importantly, discipline."

"I'll set my chrono next time, _alor_."

He smiled and nodded, knowing Xel was good for it. Ever since he had gotten into the bounty hunting business with his father, the young Mando had forged a reputation of excellence. On the few jobs that they managed to lose, the circumstances were such that the results were out of their control, and thus far, that record had not been broken. As they bent over a chunk of raw _beskar_, Elek couldn't help but reflect on the incredibly focused expression on his student's face, one that he had seen on him many times, and not just in his foundry. Like anyone on this planet with half a brain, he could tell that the boy was most definitely his father's son. Whatever he put his mind and soul to, he would get done, no matter how difficult or far-fetched.

…

The Oyu'baat

Keldabe, Mandalore

Xander sat at the counter of the tapcaf, mug of _ne'tra gal_ in his hand, knocking it against one held by Teras and knocking back half its contents in one swig. Both of them cringed for a moment as they let the hard drink settle to the bottom of their stomachs before taking another couple of sips.

"That boy of yours is something, Xan," Teras said after a while. "Driven, loyal. Reminds me a lot of you back in the day."

Xander arched an eyebrow at his brother. "You mean to say that doesn't remind you of who I am _now_?"

Teras chuckled. "Well of course it does, but…it's not…quite as sharp as it used to be with you."

Xander frowned and nursed his drink. "Consequences of leading a life like mine, I'm afraid."

His brother raised an eyebrow. "Care to define that?"

Xander's bright hazel eyes met Teras' light brown ones in a stare. "You know what I mean."

"On the whole, maybe, but…which part exactly are you referring to? The solitude? The double life? The secrets?"

"All of the above and more. I've grown cynical, Teras. Paranoid, even. I don't want my son to grow up with a father like that, but under the circumstances—"

"You can't afford to be otherwise." The Zabrak pursed his lips at Xander's nod. "I understand." He sighed heavily. "I don't envy you, _ner vod_…but I do at the same time. You know me, I'm unmarried, and sterile to boot."

Xander scoffed. "Never stopped Mandos before."

Teras shrugged. "True." He knocked back the rest of his mug as they both drank in silence. His brother was right, and he knew it.

Mandos valued blood relations about as much as race when it came to bringing someone into the fold, and since the dawn of their culture, they had made a point of adopting orphans, strays, and all manner of malcontents who needed guidance and purpose. There was no race among the _Mando'ade_, the children of Mandalore. As long as you adhered to the _Resol'nare_, the "Six Actions" of being a Mandalorian, you were accepted. It still didn't mean that Teras' impotence didn't bite.

"You're probably right," the Zabrak said after a while. "Sooner or later, I'm just gonna have to bite the bolt, find myself a good Mando girl and a kid who needs family. I just…ach, it's useless to mourn what might have been."

Xander sighed heavily, staring into the black liquid in his mug. "Ain't _that_ the truth?" He checked his wrist chrono and let out another sharp breath before downing the last of his drink and standing up, leaving the appropriate creds on the counter. "If you'll excuse me, I have a son to get back to."

Teras raised his mug in salute. "_Ret'urcye mhi_, Xan_._"

"_Ret'urcye mhi_, Teras_._"

…

1 hour later

A loud knock at the door of the relatively primitive residence elicited a sharp hiss of annoyance from the boy working inside.

"Yeah," Xel shouted, "gimme a second!" A slow breath was exhaled as his hands lowered to set a very delicate circuit. "Just a little more," he muttered. The second set of knocks caused him to wince involuntarily and put the circuit down faster than was prescribed, shorting out the whole thing and causing a small explosion. Xel rolled his eyes and huffed over to the door, jerking it open as the person on the other end leaned in to try and bash it down.

Suddenly finding nothing to stop his body, Cerril Ordo fell bodily through the open door, toppling and nearly faceplanting, stopped only by the recovery training he and every other girl and boy on this planet had had since becoming _Mando'ade_. He turned on his side and glared at Xel.

"What?" he asked, his voice agitated.

"Why didn't you come the first time?"

"I was busy," Xel answered simply, shutting the door and walking back into the house, brushing what was left of his failed project into a rather heavy waste bin.

"Tell me you didn't take something from the foundry, cause if you did, my _buir_ is gonna have your—"

"I didn't take anything, Cerril, _ori'haat_. Your dad's paranoia is endearing, really."

"Hey, he didn't ask me to check up on you. This is _my_ concern. Concern for your safety."

"I know my place, Ril. I'm just an apprentice, and believe me when I say I know I've got a long, _long_ way to go."

Ril pursed his lips and nodded slowly before breaking into a small smile and clapping his younger friend on the shoulder. He walked past him over to the waste bin and took a quick look at what Xel had just thrown in there. "What were you workin' on, then?"

"I—it's nothing."

"Well, it's a charred mess right now, but I see your point." He gave Xel a look.

The 13-year-old rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "It was supposed to be a modification to my jetpack. Gimme an extra strong burst on ignition."

"Ah…you _do_ know how dangerous that is, right?"

"Yeah, but—"

"No," Xander interrupted, walking in from his study, "he's right, Xel. There are safety systems on our jetpacks for a reason. If you work with a thrust you're not used to and lose control, it could mean any one of sixteen unpredictable outcomes, none of which are good and all of which involve some sort of injury. I appreciate your attempts at optimization, but don't do it again."

Xel sighed and slumped his shoulders as he picked up the waste bin for disposal. "Yes, _buir_."

"Xander," Cerril greeted, holding out his hand, "good to see you again."

"Likewise," the father responded. "How's Elek these days?"

Ril wore a wry smile. "Tired, old, and grumpy." He shrugged. "His words, not mine, but most days, I have to agree."

"He still working on that _beskad_?"

"Yes, and he keeps telling me that it's going to be my coming-of-age gift, since 'old _shabuire_' like him don't have the dexterity for it."

Xander whistled through his teeth. "One hell of a gift, boy. You have any idea how rare those things are?"

"Sabers made of Mandalorian iron?" Ril smirked sarcastically. "No, I had no clue. On another note, he's finally getting out of the house and foundry for a bit, goin' down to the _Oyu'baat_ for a few rounds. You're invited, and so's Xel."

Xander waved him off. "Nah. Already had my fill of drinks for the day, and I don't think I want my son to learn the virtues of getting _haryc b'aalyc_ just yet."

"Right. Well, he could just watch. I'll keep him away from the hard stuff, I promise."

The older Mando smiled gently and took a deep breath, glancing at Xel, who was sitting silently in a doorway out of Cerril's line of sight. "All right. I _suppose_ I can trust you enough for that. Not like there are going to be any Mando girls at this party." Xander picked up the slight gulp on Ril's end and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are there?"

Cerril took in a deep breath, but Xel cut him off. "We'll be careful, _buir_. Trust me, I remember what happened last time. If anything, _I'll_ be the one watching out for _him_."

Xander considered it for a few moments before nodding his assent. Xel gave a small arm-pump of triumph before grabbing his jacket and the hem of Cerril's, practically dragging him out the door. As they trudged along, the older boy's expression was somewhere between a cringe and a pout.

"What?" Xel asked him.

Ril sighed. "I'm never gonna live that night down, am I?"

He grinned. "Nope. Considering that was both the first time you ever got drunk _and_ the first time you'd been beaten senseless by..._her_, I'm surprised you don't have a dozen people snickering at your presence at any given time." His friend's expression darkened.

"Anyone willing to try would quickly find out that I'm not so easy to beat when sober."

Xel laughed and looped an arm around Ril's shoulder. "I'm just teasing, ya know. Trust me, if I weren't your friend, I _definitely_ wouldn't be laughing. Now come on, we've got a party to get to."

…

The Oyu'baat

Keldabe, Mandalore

The tapcaf was already bustling with activity when the two boys got there. Elek had already gotten his party started, and he wasn't the only one. Between a team of mercs from another clan and a fellow _beskar_ forger who had the same idea, the elder Ordo was busy beating them all in a drinking game. Ril beamed with pride as he watched his old man barely sway as he got to his feet to assist a collapsed patron from Clan Bralor. Xel sat at the bar, grinning and laughing with the raucous gang as he admired his teacher's incredible ability to hold his liquor. The man's drink of choice was _tihaar_, a clear, fiery liquor hyper-distilled from fruits, and those in the group who weren't used to drinking it in quite the same quantities as Elek were quickly feeling the consequences.

Ril, for his part, was abstaining, keeping to his word about watching over Xel, although he knew full well that his younger friend didn't need the supervision. He had never been particularly attracted to alcohol, and truth be told, neither was Ril. He only got that wasted because he lost a bet with a kid from Clan Vizsla, something that Xel wisely tried to talk him out of. In short order, Elek, as expected, outdrank anyone and everyone who dared to challenge him to a contest of sobriety. He laughed as he slumped onto a bar stool and tapped the counter for the smiling bartender to hand him a mug of _ne'tra gal_.

"Bunch'a lightweights," he mocked, indicating the passed-out clumps of bodies in various corners and booths of the room.

"Ain't no one can beat my old man," Cerril laughed, clapping his father on the shoulder as he sat down next to him, watching as Xel nursed a virgin drink on his other side.

"Not even mine?" Caden asked. "I've seen Dad knock back that kind of punch and keep standing."

Elek chuckled. "That would be a contest for the ages. In all honesty, I don't know who'd come out on top." His smile faded. "He's certainly had enough practice, life as hard as his."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?" Ordinarily, he was not one for manipulating the loose tongues of drunks, but if his father wouldn't give him the answers he wanted, he was going to get them elsewhere.

"Ah, nothin'. Your father wouldn't want me to—"

"I'm here," Xel said sharply, "he's not…and I'm just about out of patience."

Elek looked at him firmly. "It's not my right to tell you, boy, and no amount of prodding will compel me to answer you. Drunk as I may be, I'm still lucid enough to know when I'm being manipulated."

Xel looked away, only half ashamed and more frustrated than anything. "Fair enough," he snarled, knocking back the rest of his drink and rising to his feet.

"Xel," Ril tried.

Caden just waved him off and walked for the door.

…

10 minutes later

The cool night wind whipped through Xel's lengthening hair as he gunned the engine of his speeder bike, his rage and frustration finally at a fever pitch. _I've had it up to _here_ with his secrets!_ He rounded a copse of trees, shooting past another set of bushes as he came upon a massive set of ruins in the distance. Before him stood the once-sparkling capital city of Mandalore during the Clone Wars. The ruins in front of him were all that was left of the reign of Satine Kryze and the "New Mandalorians." Xel scoffed at the thought. _No such thing._ Kryze and her pacifist ilk had brought prosperity to Mandalore, but at the cost of everything that made them who they were. Of course, she had never forced the traditionalists, Jaster Mereel's True Mandalorians, to abandon their customs, only somewhat ostracized them.

The woman had had at least enough sense to realize that if she'd ever tried to eradicate the old ways, Mando or not, she'd be assassinated by any one of several thousand traditionalists, Xel's father among them. Xander had actually met her in person once during the war, as a mercenary working for the Grand Army of the Republic while her life was under threat from the Death Watch. She had asked him why he was so willing to defend her, and in short, he told her that as much as he hated what she'd done to their people and culture, he hated what the Death Watch wanted more. Given what he had heard about the organization, Xel had to agree. They were terrorists, plain and simple—cold-blooded murderers, even by Mandalorian standards. Regardless of his efforts, though, the organization eventually took control of Mandalore.

Some time before or after Kryze's death at the hand of Darth Maul, the Death Watch splintered, and those who were reluctant to participate before joined with the True Mandalorians, of which Xander was one. During something of a lull in the Clone Wars, he left his post with the Republic and returned with an army of his comrades, Teras and Elek among them. Together, they absolutely decimated the Death Watch and returned Mandalore to its pre-New Mandalorian state. Those who belonged to the old regime were ignored, neither supported nor attacked, by the restorers. They were, as the Mandos of old, left with the choice to forge a new path or die. The ruins that faced Xel now were all that was left of their urbanized civilization, the stronghold city the last point of attack by the True Mandalorians and the site of their most vicious battle.

Xel zipped through the half-collapsed streets, decreasing his speed to negotiate the tight, cramped corners. On a whim, he swerved onto a thoroughfare that led to the higher ends of the ruined skyline, gaining massive altitude as he observed the city. The evidence of warfare was practically shoved in his face, from pockmarks on the streets to gigantic craters carved into buildings by turbolasers. He shuddered to think of the sheer amount of firepower expended that day, and had a sudden urge to ask his father about it…about a lot of things. But he knew Xander wouldn't answer, not likely anyway.

The boy was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice the rapidly approaching curve until he was less than 400 feet from the edge, and considering he was going over 120 mph, that left him with less than a fourth of a second to respond. A momentary flash of panic flashed through him before his training kicked in and a cold feeling of confidence settled in his system. He immediately slammed on the airbrakes, decelerating to 100 mph by the time his bike went over the edge and leaping backward off it, decreasing his velocity further. Reaching up and back with his left arm, he fired his grappling hook, a device he kept on his person at all times, the metal head digging into the ramp above and anchoring itself as his trajectory arced downward. Waiting until gravity had more pull than his inertia, Xel hit the locking system on his hook, stopping any more cable from deploying.

The snap of the now-200-foot cord occurred with such force that his left arm was immediately dislocated. He roared in pain as his body swung under the elevated thoroughfare, his body the end of a pendulum that slowly swung to a stop. Every fiber in his left arm screamed in pain as he hung there, unable to cut the cable for fear of falling to his death in a 1200-foot drop or pull himself up to safety…but he intended to try the latter. Hissing and huffing in agony, Xel reached up to his grapple gauntlet and hit the "retract" button, causing the device to reel him up to the edge of the road.

He grasped the part of the cable still exposed with his right hand, pulling hard and groaning through clenched teeth at the stabs that ran through his left shoulder as he slowly but surely pulled himself within reach of safety. What he didn't know was that the surface his anchor was attached to was unstable—the duracrete was starting to give. He felt the shifting and crumbling just a split-second before it gave completely, and his right hand reached madly for the edge.

His fingers missed it by inches.

As his eyes widened to their max, a mixture of emotions ran through him. Fear, frustration, and, most powerfully, regret. Regret that his blind search for answers would rob his father of the one good thing he had left. In the half-second between his realization and downward acceleration, acceptance filled him, and he closed his eyes.

Only to open them as a vise-tight grip wrapped around his right wrist. His dark blue eyes widened as they looked upward to the face of his rescuer, or in this case, faceplate.

"I've got you, son."

Xel had never been so happy to see that gray t-visored helmet in his life, either as Xander curled his entire body weight with one arm, pulling him to safety, or as he pulled off his helmet and helped his son to his knees. With relief came a dispelling of adrenaline, and with the lack of adrenaline came the full force of his pain. Though all he released was a series of choppy breaths and small whimpers, Xander could easily tell that his son was in sheer agony. A painkiller syringe went into the boy's dislocated shoulder as the Mando curled an arm around his shaking shoulders, the chemical taking the edge off. Xel's functional arm shook as his hand raised to the edge of his father's chestplate and gripped it tightly, his face pressing against the cold yet reassuring metal as Xander held him close.

Xel stayed there for a moment before breaking into hard, heavy sobs. "_Buir_," he choked.

"Shh," Xander whispered. "I know, Xel. I know. It's going to be all right, son. Everything's going to be all right." He gently ran a gloved hand through Xel's hair and held him close. "I promise…I promise."


	3. Imperial Center

Xel stayed there for a moment before breaking into hard, heavy sobs. "_Buir_," he choked.

"Shh," Xander whispered. "I know, Xel. I know. It's going to be all right, son. Everything's going to be all right." He gently ran a gloved hand through Xel's hair and held him close. "I promise…I promise."

…

1 month later

The Kandosii'tal, deep space

1 year, 9 months BBY

Xel ran from the armory to the cockpit in a matter of five seconds, his helmet clutched under one arm until he got within five feet of the active holoprojector, when it went over his progressively scruffy features.

"Nice of you to join us," the man on the other side said.

"You'll have to excuse him," Xander cut in, "he was doing me a favor."

The man pursed his lips. "Well in that case." He linked his hands behind his back. "Your bounty is a Trandoshan named Brack Anthis." He tapped a key on his computer that projected an image of the target, a Trando with a red crest on the back of his head and sharper teeth than are usual for his kind. "Wanted for multiple counts of murder, extortion, menace, and illicit trafficking. We're not sure why he's left his usual stomping grounds in Hutt space, but now that he has, he's within reach of the law."

"If that's true," Xel interrupted, "and if you don't mind me asking, why aren't _you_ going after him?"

The officer on the other end narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Manhunts for criminals like him aren't one-man jobs, and the Imperial Security Bureau isn't exactly known for its interest in such matters."

"So what's _your_ interest?" Xander asked.

The man was silent for a while. "Let's just say I didn't always hang with spooks and government assassins. I was CSF before the Empire, and as long as I'm still in this business, I can't in good conscience turn a blind eye to fierfeks like this. Since the ISB doesn't share my…proactive attitude, this bounty's off the books."

Xel exchanged a look with his father before the latter spoke. "Understood. Leads?"

"Little to none. Bastard knows how to go to ground. There _is_ one weakness of his you might be able to exploit, though." He hit another key, bringing up a registry of names. "Deathsticks. The Imperial Center underworld has been flooded by a storm of new types and dealers in recent months. In fact, that variety may be the express reason for his pilgrimage." Another manipulation of his computer and the officer sent over a compressed data packet to the Mandos. "I've compiled a list of the most popular dealers in the undercity, along with their usual dives. Hopefully it'll be enough to point you in the right direction, but I know you Mando boys. Help or not, you'll get the job done. Good hunting."

Xander nodded and closed the link, entering the coordinates for Imperial Center, AKA Coruscant, into the ship's nav computer. "Jaller Obrim," he explained to his son. "Friend of mine from Clan Bralor forwarded him to me when he came to them with this Anthis problem."

Xel nodded absently as he stared at his datapad, an image of the Empire's bustling capital world plastered on the front. His heart was going at a thousand beats per minute.

"Xel, you okay?"

"Huh? Mhm. It's just…Imperial Center…I've never been. It's exciting."

Xander sighed as he slumped into the pilot's seat. "Yeah, it's exciting all right. The first few times, anyway."

"Care to explain?" Xel sat next to him and began his pre-jump check.

"Let's just say that I'm glad we're mixing with the scum of that world's undercity, because they're the ones I can tolerate. The scum of the upper city? Not so much."

Xel arched an eyebrow in his helmet. "Politics?"

Xander let out a small growl. "Politics. Politics and _di'kutla auretiise_ no matter where you turn."

Xel worked in silence for a few minutes. "You know something?"

"Hm?"

"I'm glad I was born when I was, Empire or not."

"Why's that?"

"'Cause no matter what the _auretiise_ do or say, Mandalorians aren't anything like them. No bureaucracy, no _osik'la _politics…and no civil war." He gave his father a friendly punch in the arm. "You cleaned up real good, _buir_."

Xander smiled behind his faceplate and shook his head slowly. "Wasn't just me, but thanks. Ironically enough, we owe the Jedi a bit of thanks for softening up the Death Watch."

Xel scoffed. "Little good it did them in the end."

Xan's shoulders slumped a bit. "Right."

"You okay?"

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine." Xander reached for the hyperdrive controls and initiated the jump, then rose from his seat after setting a proximity alarm. "Just need a little rest. If the alarm doesn't wake me when we get close, you can find me in my room."

"Yes, _buir_."

As he watched Xander walk away, Xel felt something strange in his gut and going up his spine, something halfway between a tickle and a prod. It was only present for a moment before it vanished, but the feeling left an imprint on his mind, a gut instinct that he should recognize it. Try as he might, though, the answers continued to elude him even as he himself started dozing off.

…

Xander sat in his quarters, door locked, legs crossed as he sat on the cold durasteel floor. He breathed in and out deeply and repeatedly, hyperoxygenating his blood to allow for higher energy and brain functions, then clearing his mind of all distractions and focusing on the one thing he wanted most. After what seemed like hours but was actually minutes, he finally found what he was looking for and smiled as that familiar presence touched his mind.

_I missed you._ Silence answered his thoughts, as it always did, but he had never expected an audible response. A warm feeling of love and affection washed over him, and he drew as much in as he could, reveling in it and returning the feelings as much as he could. His smile broadened and eyes shut as tears of joy and relief came to them. _Oh, my dear…how I've missed you._ The long scar running down his left cheek tickled, and he pressed a hand to it gently. Excitement thrummed through him. _It won't be long now._

…

Imperial Center/Coruscant

"_Buir_,you okay?"

Xander turned to his son and nodded once before returning his gaze to the tapcaf across the street from where they'd parked their speeder. Thus far, Xander had been somewhat underwhelmed by the connections shown by Coruscant's criminals. Seemed that living under the Empire's thumb somewhat discouraged cooperation or collaboration of any sort. Your allies became witnesses, and your friends became liabilities. It was most definitely a rancor eat rancor situation. Sooner or later, though, they would find someone who knew something, and when they did, he or she would talk. If there was one thing the master hunter had learned over the years, it was that one way or another, everyone talks.

"How long has this guy just been sitting here?"

"About an hour."

"How long have _we_ been sitting here?"

"Patience, Xel. Not every hunt can be solved with fists and plasma. The best ones are the jobs where you never have to fire a shot."

"Something tells me a Trando isn't gonna go down without a fight."

"No…and especially not this one."

"What do ya mean?"

"I knew I recognized something about him when Obrim showed us that holo. Take a closer look." He held up the datapad to Xel's visor. "Notice anything?"

Xel squinted in concentration and strained his memory before shaking his head. "Sorry. I got nothin'."

"He was on Nar Shaddaa three months ago. Your first job. I'm surprised you don't remember."

"Wait…he was the gang leader?"

Xander nodded.

"Oh…sorry, _buir_." He was silent a moment. "Guess I was too focused on the target to notice."

Xan's mouth tipped up on one side as he watched color fill his son's face. _Liar._ "Rookie mistake. Always keep your focus on the job, but don't get tunnel vision and blind yourself to everything else. In situations like this, the person or thing you overlooked may be the key to a later hunt, or a potential asset in the future."

"Yes sir."

Another ten minutes passed before the deathstick dealer they were tailing, an Advozse by the name of Kreel Imar, gave a discreet nod to a pair of Weequays at the bar, who fiddled with something inside their jackets before striding over to a Twi'lek dancer currently in the middle of a performance and yanking her off the stage. Both Mandos straightened at the sudden action and watched as they dragged her off to a separate room.

"Did you just see—?"

"Yeah."

"They just—"

"Yeah."

"What do we do?"

Xander pressed his lips together. The target had been a no-show for the last hour, and staking out the dealers was a shot in the dark at best. His instincts told him that Anthis was nowhere near here, so a quick appearance from two Mandos wouldn't hurt them. Nodding to Xel once, he opened the door of the speeder and stepped out, Mandalorian shoulder cloak flapping in the air current from thousands of speeders streaking by at once. As his son followed, he noticed with absent interest the berth that most of the pedestrians gave them as they stalked toward the tapcaf. Half a dozen heads turned in their direction as they entered, and the dealer gaped at them as they strode unopposed into the hallway where they'd dragged off the dancer. Xander's senses led them directly to the door they were looking for, though the intermittent shrieks would have been enough of a beacon.

Xan's left fist clenched as his right hand reached for the MerrSonn DD6 pistol at his hip, years of training and experience guiding his actions as the weapon was drawn fluidly within the space of a half-second, his left fist hitting the release control on the door as he walked through it without breaking his pace and raised the weapon. What he saw on the other end of the door set his blood on fire, and Xel's feral hiss was plain indication that he felt the same way. The Weequays had shackled and collared the girl, but they weren't alone. Two thick-set Nikto bruisers were flanking what looked like a human male, but Xander had seen enough of his kind to know their true nature.

"Let her go," he hissed through his teeth, the barrel of his pistol leveled against the Anzati. "Now."

"This doesn't concern you, Mandalorian," he answered with a smooth voice and a raised eyebrow. "Run along now. Don't you have someone higher priced to kill?"

"At the moment? Nah. Brain-sucking monsters take the _uj_ cake." He pushed the power slider on his pistol to max, a setting that used ten times the power and tibanna gas, but essentially ensured a smoking hole in whatever target he pointed at. "I won't ask again," he said as the gun charged with a whine.

The Anzati seemed to debate the matter for a few moments before nodding to the Weequays. The dancer made a hasty, whimpering retreat from the room only to be stopped by Xel, who gently held her arm until she stopped squirming, then dropped a hundred-cred chip in her open palm.

"You should know there will be repercussions for this, Mandalorian. Do you know who I am? Of course not. Suffice to say that I have powerful friends that owe me various favors. I'm very particular about my meals, and I don't take kindly to having them stolen, so if I were you, I'd look over my shoulder for the foreseeable future, because if you ever see me or any of my associates, we _will_ kill you."

Xander laughed darkly as he lowered his weapon and leaned toward him. "Get in line, _shabuir_."

…

4 hours later

In the space of four hours, the pair had shaken down half the gangsters between levels 1340 and 1313, scouring every dirty nook and cranny for intel on their target. Finally, they had him. A massive series of high-rise loading docks in Coruscant's industrial sector had swiftly risen to the top of their lead pool, and both hunters were quickly becoming more and more focused. As usual, their anxiety, however limited, had risen to a fever pitch, as it always did at the time before a hunt drew to its inevitable climax. The confrontation with the Anzati had left a bitter taste in both their mouths, and despite his supposed indifference to the alien's threat, Xander really didn't know if he wanted that kind of extra heat, especially now that his son was his partner.

As he considered the matter further over the course of their search, though, he realized that Xel had proven more than capable of handling himself. On this planet, though, the center of Imperial power, old fears resurfaced, and he dreaded to think what might happen should he fail in the mission that he'd been given from the boy's birth. Telia had told him plenty about life in the Jedi Order, that inductees were taken from their parents at an early age, often before they had time to truly know them so as to avoid "emotional attachment." The thought of children, of any age, being taken from their rightful caretakers still brought a malicious snarl to his face, and a small, old Mandalorian part of himself was glad the Order as he'd known it had been destroyed.

What exactly made emotion so _shabla_ dangerous? After all this time and numerous attempts at explanation from his wife, he still hadn't gotten a satisfactory answer. She had once told him that with Force-users, emotions became a double-edged sword if they weren't careful. Some, like compassion and gratitude, could be great motivators, and healers in particular were far more likely to draw on them. After all, both were conducive to long life, and the Force was nothing if not life. Bringing that emotional power to bear to heal a person in need was not only practical, but admirable, and Xander admitted that he shared her opinion. Other emotions, however, like rage and hatred, she'd said, blinded even the most conscience-driven men and women, and when combined with the teachings of the Sith, everything that person once held dear was consumed or cast aside by their lust for power.

Despite her caution against using such violent feelings when she first trained him to use his connection, he'd drawn on both on numerous occasions, always with the intent of protecting her or his men, and come out on top and in control. Telia had been shocked at this, but after the first few dozen times it happened, she started to fully realize that the Force was not as black and white as she'd been taught from childhood…and how much she meant to him. The fact that he could go into black rages in the middle of combat, blocking out any form of rationality or restraint in favor of sheer brutality, and come back to give her that caring, blush-prompting smile was a testament to how much self-control Mandalorians truly had. It also told volumes about their ability to compartmentalize, which, of course, was no surprise, given what he'd told her about their culture.

_Mando'ade_ were vicious in war, honorable in victory and defeat alike, and ferociously devoted to family. Their entire culture was a paradox to her, a blend of dark and light if she'd ever seen it. The first trait she had long identified with the Sith and Dark Side of the Force, the second with the Jedi and the Light, and, well, the third was something she had never encountered to the degree Xander spoke of and, much later in their relationship, demonstrated. Telia had encountered boundless shock at the stark contrasts between the near-psychopathic soldier she knew on the battlefield and the impossibly gentle man that had bandaged her injuries or helped her cope with the nightmares that came from the horrors of war.

She wasn't a soldier, and he'd known it. It had been humiliating at first, being so…weak in her own eyes, and considering the rough, battle-hardened reputation shared by all Mandos, she'd expected disapproval or judgement from him when he'd caught her sobbing in a secluded hangar. Instead, he'd sat down next to her, back pressed against the wall like hers was, and popped his helmet off, revealing a frowning, scarred expression of grim understanding. His presence alone seemed to soothe her after a while, and looking back on it, he realized that he'd probably been subconsciously using the Force. When she tried to apologize for her behavior, he'd narrowed his eyes to slits and given her a good scolding for even thinking it appropriate to apologize.

She hadn't broken down on the battlefield, with men depending on her, and he more than most knew how much some things couldn't and shouldn't be suppressed. That, perhaps more than anything, had made his anger burn at any Jedi who touted their vaunted serenity, especially around Telia. Idiots. Truth be told, he'd nearly taken his knife to a "master" who had dared to accost her for showing her anger after a particularly trying week. Instead, he spent a week in the brig for breaking the man's nose, or, at least, he'd been sentenced to a week. Xander was released halfway through it when a critical operation required a skill set that only their resident consultant had, much to the injured Jedi's chagrin.

_Serenity my _shebs_,_ Xander thought at the memory, slowly returning his focus to the present. His son was perched on another corner of their rooftop twenty feet away, his macrobinoculars pressed to the horizontal slit of his helmet. The father pressed his lips together and made a mental note to ask Cerril about integrating a basic macrobinocular function into his helmet's systems. Though he, like any practical Mando, stressed avoiding reliance on fancy tech, it didn't mean he shied away from it, especially if it improved efficiency. Activating such a function in his own helmet, he spied a pair of Klatooinians fingering illegal Tenloss Disruptor Rifles and hissed.

"Xel," he said over comms. "See those two?" He motioned to the snipers.

"Yeah…what the _shab_ are those?"

"Tenloss DXR-6 Disruptor Rifles. Very nasty, very illegal. Rips the target apart at the molecular level, so they're favored by assassins."

"That's gotta hurt. Them first?"

"Read my mind." He turned to Xel and animatedly tapped the knife on his belt. "Keep it quiet."

Xel gave him a curt nod and pulled something off his belt that Xander recognized as a two-directional liquid cable launcher. Aiming one end at the rooftop they were on and the other at the roof of the loading dock, he fired it off, the device making barely more than a puff as the compressed liquid shot out like a bolt from a blaster. A sharp tug at the cable verified the connection was solid, and Xel disconnected the launcher and clipped it back to his belt, motioning his father forward. Xander pulled his _beskar_ knife from his belt and angled the blunt edge down, orienting the knife so the angle between his hand and its blade acted as a hook around the upper edge of the cable. Xel followed suit and hooked in behind him, launching off a moment after his father and grimacing as his less muscular hand started to ache halfway there.

When the snipers came within range, Xander swung his body toward them and released the cable, landing feet-first on one of them with all the grace of a dancer and plunging his knife into the alien's neck. Xel did the same to his partner, albeit a little shakier, before he could charge his weapon halfway. A cursory search of the area revealed no other sentries this side of the building. The pair exchanged a nod before entering the building through its rooftop entrance, blasters coming from their holsters as they made their way through the dark, dirty corridors. Xander's enhanced audio systems fed a constant stream of noise from the building, and he fed a program from Cerril into the helmet's built-in computer that could isolate their target's voice based on the sound clip he'd recorded from Anthis on Nar Shaddaa.

As that ran, Xander motioned for them to split up, the boy taking higher ground as his father descended a level. A group of human and Rodian workers were loading and unloading crates of building supplies, or so it seemed. Legitimate operations didn't usually have snipers with illegal weapons posted on the roof. One of the workers dropped a crate, cracking it open as the foreman bellowed insults at him. A quick activation of his macrobinoculars revealed the slightly smaller inside compared to the appearance of the outside, as well as the stark differences between the material of the crate's internal walls and the rim of the container, all telltale signs of a false panel or panels.

_They're smugglers, and if Anthis is here, I'm pretty sure I know what they're hawking._ He snapped several holos with his helmet, making a note to get his hands on one of those crates. Obrim would appreciate it. Xel's radio-distorted voice came over the comlink, interrupting his thoughts.

"_Buir_."

"Have you got him?"

"No, but there's something else you should see."

"On my way." Xander scrambled to the upper floors within a matter of seconds, using the familiar presence in the back of his mind to lead him to his son. It barely took him a split-second to stare at what Xel had meant. "What…is that?"

"A bunch'a kids, by the looks of it."

"I know, but…what the hell are they doing with them?"

A Twi'lek was busy examining a small boy, no older than ten, Xander would wager, with a very critical eye as two Nikto and a Quarren looked on dispassionately. _Slaves,_ Xander concluded with no small measure of disgust, his old anger at the Jedi Order eclipsed by the sheer loathing he had for the creatures below. The boy was roughly shoved back, and as one of the other children stepped forward to defend him, one of the Nikto raised a hand as if to backhand him. Despite being on the other side of the room, the boy flinched as if he'd actually been struck and moved back to his place. A tumult of emotions warred within the Mando father, hatred and pity foremost among them.

"Not to sound cold, _buir_, but…are we planning on helping every waif and stray we run across?"

Xander pursed his lips. On Coruscant that'd be a death wish, if not for all the dangerous scum they'd have to go through, for the exhaustion of running themselves ragged with such an impossible task. "No, but if something had happened to me when you were younger, _you_ could've been one of those waifs and strays." The two t-visors met gazes. "We help." He could hear the smile in his son's answer.

"Of course."

Turning back to the children and the _hut'uunla_ Twi'lek currently inspecting them like a prized podracer, he snarled and thought for a moment. "We'll help, but one of us needs to find Anthis first." He gave his son a pat on the shoulder. "You stay here. Keep an eye on them. If it seems like they're gonna move the kids, let me know and I'll come running. We can track down Anthis again if he goes to ground. The kids, on the other hand…"

"I got it," Xel acknowledged with a nod.

Xander rose to his feet and sprinted off as silently as was possible in heavy armor. He had searched the massive building for two more minutes before debating another course of action in his head. He pressed his back against a wall and thought hard. He could find Anthis quite easily if he so desired, but the risk… He pressed his lips into a thin, white line. The risks were worth it if they got both their bounty and a second chance for the children about to be sold into slavery. If worse came to worst, he knew they could kill Anthis and book it off the planet within a half hour. At least they would get the "dead" fee.

With a final nod of decision, Xander closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out and opening his mind completely to the Force. The sheer extrasensory overload nearly decked him. He had barely used his Force senses in past years, rarely to the degree he was now, and even then never in such an impossibly dense metropolis. The lives and feelings of a billion sentients at once flooded his consciousness in a tidal wave of contrasts and parallels, hopes and dreams, gripes and grievances. It was utterly overwhelming, and only through sheer force of will was Xander able to rein in his senses and close the floodgate he had so foolishly opened.

When it was done, he instead probed at that gate, widening it crack by crack until he could feel the lives in his immediate area, fuzzy blips in the back of his head that became more and more focused as he concentrated harder. He remembered what Anthis felt like from before, the calculation, the keen intelligence behind his savage eyes and appearance. Like a strainer separating solid from liquid, he laid down mental filters in the Force, peeling away the souls around him layer by layer until he found what he was looking for. _Two floors down…he's not alone._ Not that he had expected him to be.

Xander put a finger to his helmet. "Xel, I've got him."

"'Bout time," his son answered agitatedly. "The Quarren and Twi'lek are talking now, very intently."

"Deal's going down," Xander said with certainty, running back through the corridors and narrowly avoiding being spotted by two of the loaders as he silently returned to Xel's position. The boy was fingering his blasters nervously, the tense poise of his crouch clearly indicating eagerness to get it over with. He laid a hand on Xel's shoulder. "Patience, son. The slavers might want their cargo, but I know their type. They're perfectly satisfied with losing one or two as long as they get the best of the haul."

Xel gave him a horrified look from behind his visor. "You mean they'd—?"

"Use them as human shields?" Xander finished with a great deal of anger. "Yes." His Force Sense still functioning passively to keep track of Anthis, Xander felt something from Xel, in him, a deep, black void. Eyes widening slightly, he drew back slightly as the sheer force of his son's hatred flowed through their bond. _So _that's_ what I feel like when I'm angry. No wonder Telia—_

"Sold!"

The single word sent a universal shudder through the nine kids below.

"We do this quickly and cleanly," Xander told his son. "Once the slavers are dead, I'm trusting you to keep them safe here."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Where are _you_ going?"

"To take down Anthis. He'll start running the moment he hears blaster fire, and if we can do this without letting our bantha run free, we will."

"Got it."

The boy's Mandalorian APs came out of their holsters as Xander drew his DD6 and thumbed the power dial to medium. "3—2—1—go!"

They both leapt in tandem, Xander landing in a roll and firing as he came up, his son opting to stay high as he jetpacked toward the slavers' exposed side. Xander's pistol fired at a rapid rate as he made full use of the blaster's hair trigger, bare squeezes sending streams of plasma at the enemy. One of the Nikto fell immediately, followed by the Quarren when Xel dropped on top of a large storage crate and gave him a double-tap through the skull. A blaster bolt smacked into the boy's left shoulder, the armor deflecting the energy but the impact knocking him off-balance all the same.

Xander laid down suppressing fire on the Twi'lek as he eyed the remaining Nikto carefully, noting his quick withdrawal behind a smaller storage crate. Recovering quickly, Xel rolled off his crate and drew his knife left-handed as he swung it toward the Nikto's neck. The stronger alien smacked his hand away as he leaned away from the strike, leveling his blaster against the Mandalorian iron before a quick shot from Xel's right-hand pistol fried his. The young Mando immediately holstered the weapon and transferred the knife to his right hand, taking a ready stance as his father looked in with slight trepidation. He knew Xel was a good fighter in close quarters, hell he was a natural, but he wasn't as strong as his father, and only Xander had a chance of hammering his way out of the iron grip of that Nikto if he ever got hold of him.

Intermittent fire from a very irate Twi'lek snapped him out of his worries and back into his Mando mercenary mode, a cold hatred settling into his gut as he returned fire and kicked in his own jetpack. Flying toward the enemy, he was surprised when the alien threw a cable from his belt and wrapped it around his ankle. He realized what was so special about it a second later as electricity coursed through him, his jumpsuit's insulating properties only doing so much to mitigate the pain. Blinking hard to clear away the sudden blur caused by his body hitting the deck, Xander snarled as his opponent ran toward him, firing madly. Holding up his left forearm, he let the _beskar_ take the incoming damage and bull-rushed him, right hand missing the presence of his dropped blaster but moving with years of training and experience nonetheless.

Xander smacked his weapon's barrel aside with his left hand, sending his next shot dangerously close to the terrified children, then brought a right cross on the side of his skull hard. He stumbled back with the blow, aiming a sloppy kick at the family jewels and rebounding instantly when his booted foot met solid Mandalorian iron. _Mandos prepare for every scenario,_ Xander thought with a malicious smirk. Withdrawing quickly, the Twi'lek's vision flickered to his left. Xander's eyes widened as he saw his line of vision, then narrowed as he watched the blaster's barrel raise to match it.

Before he knew what was happening, the alien suddenly found himself clutching at his pained wrist, his blaster clattering to the floor as the enraged Mando strode toward him at a steady pace. Xander grabbed the man by the scruff of his jacket and lifted him off the ground, throwing him bodily against a wall. Hard. The once-confident slaver now stared at him with terrified eyes as he gripped his throat and lifted him off the ground as if he were no heavier than a sheet of flimsi. It was then that he realized the man's hands, no, the _gloves_, were vibrating slightly as he clenched slowly. The alien's neck gave bit by bit as Xander squeezed at a steady rate.

"You are a _worm_, not worthy to lick the dirt off the boots of these _ad'ike_." With no further words, his Mandalorian crushgaunts lived up to their name and crushed his neck like a twig. His grip loosened and dropped him to the ground, and Xander was tempted to spit before coming out of his black rage and realizing he was still in his helmet. Glancing around him and letting out a sharp breath, Xander saw Xel standing over the bloodied corpse of his opponent, and a small swell of pride filled his chest before his Force Sense triggered a mental alarm. Focusing quickly, he felt Anthis bolting for a speeder on a level halfway between them.

Seeming to sense his sudden tension, Xel nodded to him. "Go."

Xander sprinted toward the door of the dock and ran for the speeder at max speed, remembering belatedly that he'd left his DD6 with Xel and cursing under his breath. His powerful legs propelled him two levels down, and he saw Anthis clamber into his speeder a moment before his bodyguards opened fire. His teeth gritted as he gave himself to the Force, sprinting straight for his bounty and triggering his jetpack, flying over them and dropping a thermal detonator among the grounded guards as he went straight for Anthis. The Trandoshan spun in his seat as Xander tackled him off the speeder and flew back into the building, landing hard and rolling to a stop with his quarry.

The Trando recovered his footing a little quicker than Xander and slashed at him with his claws. Using what little leverage he had, Xan rolled away and stood, his right hand unsheathing his knife underhandedly.

"I know you, hunter," Brack snarled.

"Makes two of us. End of the line, Anthis."

Two rows of razor-sharp teeth greeted him as he grinned madly, then charged and chomped at his shoulder. Xander brought his forearm between the Trando's jaws, the unyielding metal breaking a fair few teeth as he bit down hard. Anthis shrieked in pain as he withdrew, Xander taking advantage and slashing a bloody line across his chest. The alien brought a closed fist into the side of Xan's helmet, knocking him back a few steps as he reeled from the sheer force of the impact. The Mando and Trando traded blows before Anthis retreated to another structure, a massive, five-story conveyer line connecting their building with another.

Xander gritted his teeth, both at the pain of the powerful blows the reptilian had delivered to him as well as his hesitation. _I need to stop playing around and finish him off._ Anthis climbed aboard a droid-operated levitating platform transporting crates from one level to the next, taking off into the air and leaving his pursuer behind. Xander activated his jetpack, flying up to a higher conveyor belt and sprinting toward a tower linked to all the belts. He jetted upward another floor and grabbed a pipe for a handhold, bracing his legs against the hard metal it connected to and calling on the Force as Anthis passed below him. A Force Leap propelled him twenty feet through the air, arcing down to land solidly on the platform. Anthis spun toward him, mouth hanging wide open as his mind reeled before focusing on killing him.

In short order, Xander sheathed his knife and engaged him barehanded, trading blows until the Mando caught a powerful fist in his left hand and gave Anthis a proper _kov'nyn_, a Keldabe kiss, the hard metal of his helmet's forehead slamming into the reptilian's scaly face. Anthis hissed in rage and pain, slashing his claws through the shoulder joint of his jumpsuit and digging them in. Warm blood trickled down his arm as he snarled and brought his helmet into the Trando's head once more, kneeing him hard in the lower chest and clenching his left crushgaunt around Anthis' hand, breaking the thick bones inside with relative ease. He shoved him back and laid into his chest and face with a series of powerful, rage-driven blows, breaking scaly skin and bones and driving his target toward the edge step by step before thrust-kicking him within a foot of a deadly drop.

_Dead it is_, Xander decided, sprinting toward him and leaping into the air as he planted two flying kicks on his center mass, one after the other in a staggered drop-kick, launching Anthis off the side and himself backward toward the center of the platform. Recovering his balance, Xander strode to the side of the platform and gazed as Anthis' bloodied form vanished into the bottomless depths of Coruscant's underworld.

…

1 hour later

The Kandosii'tal

Over the last hour, several things had happened. Xel had officially added a half-dozen kills to his record. The kids that had once been in peril of being sold into slavery were delivered to a few contacts of Obrim's, along with some very incriminating and irrefutable evidence of deathstick trafficking linked to several Imperial politicians, either in consumption or corruption. Though he had about as much love for the ISB as the Death Watch, Xander knew Parja Bralor, and he knew she'd never recommend him to anyone who didn't meet his professional and moral standards. Truly, something about the man relieved him enough to just let things go.

Xander flinched and let out a long hiss as Xel gingerly laid an ice pack on his upper right ribs. The series of stitches on his right shoulder stung, but the bacta coating both them and the injury itself was helping.

"_Ad'ika_, make a mental note never to hold back when you're fighting a Trando."

Xel vainly suppressed a smile. "Do as I say, not as I do, eh, _buir_?"

Xander gave him a mock scolding look.

"Face it, Dad. You liked the challenge, even if it's gonna leave you a bruised mess for a month."

Xander frowned. His son's estimate wasn't all that far off. Between the lacerations on his shoulder and the bruises that resulted from Anthis' relentless and feral pounding, he wasn't going to be getting into another fight like that anytime soon. Mandalorian iron or not, Trandoshans were strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Wookiees, depending on how big both they and their opponents were. Under any other circumstances, he'd be insane to take one on that close, especially one in his prime and crazed with bloodlust. At least, that would be the case if he didn't also have another very powerful tool at his disposal, one that, thankfully, had remained a secret thus far.

"So maybe I did. Gotta cut me some slack, Xel." He tested his arms, giving them a few experimental and painful swings before rising from the makeshift medical berth. He gave his son a devilish grin. "This old body starts to feel useless after a while."

Xel played right along, crossing his arms with a raised eyebrow. "Can I trade you mine, 'cause between the scars and the strength, I'm pretty sure I'd have a line of _cyar'ike_ lining up for my hand in marriage."

Xander looped an arm around his shoulder, walking to the cockpit and trying not to hiss in pain. "Son, I'm surprised you don't already."

Xel quirked a small smirk. "Well...there might be one..."

"Oh?" Xander raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"Nope. Not yet." He shrugged. "Might be nothing."

"Could be everything."

Xel pressed his lips together as they separated and took their respective seats. "Was it that way with you?"

Xander held a breath for a few moments before making a decision. "Well...no, not really. It was...complicated."

Xel nodded slowly and looked away despondently, flicking a few switches as they prepared for takeoff in their usual routine.

"She and I were—are...different. About as different as fire and ice."

The boy instantly froze. He had expected more silence, more secrets and no explanations. Now, for the first time, his father was opening up about the other side of the family, and there was no way he was going to screw this up. "H-How do you mean?"

Xander wore a small smile as his eyes turned wistful, his hands coming to a stop as all other tasks ceased. "When we first met, she was no soldier. She was kind...compassionate...innocent. Had a...light in her eyes that I'd never seen before."

"Do I...look like her?"

Xander quirked a smirk. "No, not at all. In fact, when you were born, she specifically said you took after me."

"Oh."

Xan's smirk widened. "Got her spirit though. And her sense of loyalty...one of the few things we shared—share to a tee."

Xel faltered for words. His father had opened up for the first time in almost 14 years. There were so many things he wanted to ask, wanted to know, and something, a niggling fear in his gut, told him he wouldn't get a second chance. Only one question came to his mind.

"Will I—?"

"Get to meet her? Yes. Someday." Xander smiled widely and locked gazes with his son. "And your brother."

Xel's face was a study in shock.

* * *

AN: For future reference, barring extraordinary circumstances, unless I decide to put this story on hold for some reason, which I don't envision, I'll be releasing around 7:00 PM EST on Thursdays from now on.

Musical Inspirations:

SW: The Old Republic – Scum, the Bounty Hunter: 1:24-3:32—slaver fight to Anthis' death, 3:33-end—Xander's recovery and end of chapter


	4. Foreboding

Xel faltered for words. His father had opened up for the first time in almost 14 years. There were so many things he wanted to ask, wanted to know, and something, a niggling fear in his gut, told him he wouldn't get a second chance. Only one question came to his mind.

"Will I—?"

"Get to meet her? Yes. Someday." Xander smiled widely and locked gazes with his son. "And your brother."

Xel's face was a study in shock.

…

1 hour ago

Imperial Center

The whine of assembly machinery and compressors pervaded the small, black-dominated room as a fresh air filter replaced a used one in a personal respirator. The machinery reassembled the device and integrated it into the mask from where it came as a pale, heavily scarred figure meditated below it. His eyes were closed in focus as currents of Force flitted past and all around him, sometimes passing by untouched, in waves, sometimes bending toward and around him as he exercised his will over them. A familiar feeling of cold rage formed in his gut, where it always was to some degree.

Suddenly, the currents were disrupted, and his closed eyes scrunched even tighter as his burned-off eyebrows knitted together in concentration. Stretching out with the Force, the figure probed for the source of this aberration, his focus and presence flying across the surface of Coruscant and approaching it rapidly until…

His eyes snapped open.

As quickly as it had appeared in his senses, it had vanished. He pondered the meaning of this for a few moments before stretching out once again, and a few minutes later, a slightly shorter man with similarly pale complexion and a bald head strode through the door of the meditation chamber.

"You summoned me, master?" The man's voice was deep and accented with the typical presumptuously superior accent of Imperial Moffs, but an underlying and inherent power.

The massive, now fully-armored figure of Darth Vader rose to its full height and turned toward the man in question, hands curling into loose fists as he looked down at him from his meditation pedestal.

"Indeed I did," his helmet-altered baritone boomed. His head tilted forward slightly as he closed his eyes and focused once more, attempting to find the presence from before and failing. Opening them again, he looked back toward his expectant guest. "I have felt something…a disturbance in the Force, on this very planet. A presence."

The bald man's eyes widened. "A Jedi?"

"Perhaps…perhaps not. From what little I felt before it vanished, it was far too…impure to be that of a true Jedi."

"A rival then. One capable of being a threat?"

Vader shook his head slightly as he turned away and started pacing. "Doubtful on both counts. Regardless, this presence intrigues me. It is unlike anything I have felt before…and that is a rare occurrence." He faced the one-sided mirror that comprised the window of his meditation chamber, hands folded behind his back as he stared out into the metropolis. "I was unable to trace it to its source, but whoever this man is, he was in the industrial district not five minutes ago." He was silent a few moments before turning his head to the right and looking over his shoulder. "Find him."

The other man's silver eyes narrowed slightly and his lips tightened a little, but he bowed low at the waist in submission. "It shall be done, my lord."

…

2 months later

1 year, 7 months BBY

Xander tossed and turned in his bunk, half-unconscious, incapable of shutting off. A spark of light drifted through his vision, behind his closed eyes, piercing his exhausted mind. He focused on the spark, and it grew, continuing to expand until it transformed into an ocean of curving, crystalline formations. The abstract glow sharpened until a fraction of his broken awareness whispered its recognition. _The galaxy_. The image grew brighter and closer until he was whizzing toward it at hyperspeed, toward a very specific and familiar cluster of worlds on the fringe of space.

Before he knew it, he was in-atmosphere on a landing pad overlooking a busy section of a city, and he could see…himself. In armor, helmet and cloak gone, his left arm bent at an odd angle as he limped back out of a doorway onto the empty pad.

"You've lost," his other self hissed through clenched teeth. "He will _never_ be yours!"

When Xander followed his doppelganger's gaze, he saw the doorway completely wreathed in shadow. He could _feel_ the evil emanating from it well before he saw the radioactive yellow eyes burning through the darkness. Slowly and without explanation, the eyes turned to him, locking gazes with his own. A cold, terrifying feeling shot up his spine. Years of experience instantly kicked in as he clawed his way back to consciousness, madly raging against the pursuit of the sharp, crimson _snap-hiss_.

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"_Buir_!"

Xander shot out of bed, his startled son barely backpedaling from the fear and momentum-driven haymaker that answered his anxious call. Heart hammering on his rib cage, Xander clutched his chest as he heaved for breath. Xel stayed still at the door, hands up, as he waited for his father to come out of his nightmare-induced frenzy. Xander's hazel eyes were practically glowing, the blue and green flecks of his irises overshadowing the brown as the adrenaline ran its course.

"Did—I—? What happened?"

Xel looked at his father dubiously. "I'm not sure. It was almost like the ship's artificial gravity malfunctioned."

Xander stared at him wide-eyed. "Excuse me?"

"I was reading up our newest bounty and suddenly the datapad felt a lot lighter. That's when I noticed almost every other loose object in the room—no, in the _ship_—start to lift."

Xander looked away as he kept heaving, his sucking breaths slowly turning to even gulps. "That's…strange."

Xel narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. It is." He was silent a while. "You okay?"

Xander nodded slowly, almost uncertainly. "Yeah, I'm fine." He gave Xel a pat on the shoulder. "Thanks." He sat back on his bed hard as Xel pursed his lips uncertainly.

"I'll be in the cockpit if you need me."

Xander gave his withdrawing form a single nod before letting himself fall backward onto the mattress. A heavy exhale left his lips as he closed his eyes only to open them instantly as those same glowing yellow orbs greeted him. _Okay. I'm awake now._

…

_He's hiding something,_ Xel thought as his hands swept over the controls, observing their proximity to Nal Hutta and pulling back the hyperdrive lever. They entered realspace a moment later, the brown, polluted landscape of the Hutt homeworld off in the distance. His father hadn't been acting like himself lately. He was skittish, edgy, constantly looking over his shoulder. For the life of him, Xel couldn't figure out what was up. He hadn't thought Xander had taken the Anzati's threat _that_ seriously.

A heavy, steady tread from behind alerted him to the now fully-armored Xander taking his seat as pilot. Xel gave him a glance when he wasn't looking and noted the hard concentration on his face, as if his work were giving him escape from another more daunting matter.

"How's our fuel?"

Xel raised an eyebrow slightly but schooled his face into a neutral expression. "Not the best. We should have enough to get back to Mandalore, at least, but that all depends on where our client sends us. Speaking of, I've been doing some research on Durga the Hutt and…Dad this is _not _a good guy."

"I'm well aware, but work has been slow lately, and when you're in our line of business, you've gotta take what you can get."

"Including jobs from a crime lord?"

Xander pursed his lips. "Sometimes, yes, and word has it, the pay on this one is good. Very good."

"Which also means it's very dangerous."

Xan shrugged. "Probably. Nothing we can't handle though, yes?"

"Yes."

Fifteen minutes later, they landed on a pad about half a mile from Durga's palace on Hutta. As Xel hit the release for the loading ramp, he got a good, up-close look at just what the atmosphere of the Hutt homeworld was like. He was suddenly very glad for the air filters in his helmet.

"Come on, son. Best not to keep a Hutt waiting, especially not one like Durga."

Another five-minute walk with a lot of turned heads and more than a few fleeing pedestrians, they reached the gigantic building that housed the lord of Hutt kajidic Besadii, essentially one of several crime families run by the bloated species. Two very unattractive Klatooinians flanked a very attractive, green-skinned Twi'lek as the trio approached the hunters.

"My lord Durga has been expecting you."

"Then," Xander spoke, intentionally deepening his voice even more than the helmet's vocabulator did, "let's not keep him waiting."

The effect of his alteration was instant, and an observant onlooker would have seen the girl shiver slightly before forcing her smile and turning about. The Klatooinians flanked the hunters, essentially boxing them in as the party made its way to Durga's throne room.

_These Hutts and their decorations,_ Xel thought in disgust. He averted his eyes and double-checked that the air filters in his helmet were fully active and not letting in any of the atmosphere around him. The planet may have been livable, but considering everything that was being done on it, it might as well have been a toxic world. Two dark blue orbs locked onto their newest patron within a split-second, his worm-like girth easily the most obvious, obnoxious decoration in the room. _And the ugliest._

"Lord Durga," Xander greeted in a polite tone, bowing slightly at the waist.

Xel followed his example.

Durga's massive eyes narrowed slightly as he sized them both up. His left arm motioned for his translator droid, who stepped forward somewhat reluctantly. Xel noted the considerable dents in his right-side plating. A few words of deep-voiced Huttese were thrown in their direction before the droid needlessly translated.

"My lord Durga the Hutt wishes you a good morning and hopes that your trip here was not too much of a hassle."

"Not at all."

"He asks if you would like refreshments."

Xel's nose crinkled, and considering the slight, near-imperceptible tension in his father's body, he could tell Xander was just as disenchanted with the idea.

"Respectfully, sir, we came here to do a job, not have a party."

Durga laughed heartily, the bellowing sound causing Xel to cringe slightly.

"You Mando boys are all the same. Always business, business, business." Durga laughed a few more times. "As you wish. Your target is an Epicanthix named Kell Hammer. It has been brought to my attention that he embezzled a good amount of money out of my accounts, then sold the account information to my competitors in Clan Desilijic. I want you to find and capture him alive."

"Where was he last seen?"

"Here. As soon as I discovered his treachery, I locked down all outgoing traffic from this sector of the planet and made sure our perimeter was secure."

"You sure he didn't slip through the net? Migrate to one of the other clans in time? Your competitor, maybe?"

Durga licked his massive lips and smirked. "Not even Jabba is foolish enough to challenge me over an accountant, and besides, Desilijic's domain is on the other side of the planet. We very wisely keep as far apart as possible."

"Understood. Your territory's massive though. Any more pointers?"

Durga motioned to his major domo, a Zabrak on his right, who brandished a handheld holoprojector and activated it.

"My forces have been doing grid sweeps, but it's impractical for him to hide anywhere except here." The holoprojector zoomed in on a particularly hilly area 20 miles away. "He'll be anywhere within five miles of here."

"If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you send your own men if you're so sure?"

"Because I didn't just hire him for his accounting abilities. He's a decorated assassin and pilot, worked for the Separatists during the war. His string of kills was unbroken."

"Depending on how much you're paying, it's about to be."

Durga smiled widely, a thin stream of spittle running down the side of his face. "Sixty-five."

Both hunters' eyes snapped wide open.

"Sixty…five…thousand?"

Durga nodded slowly.

Xel exchanged a look with his similarly shell-shocked father.

"Done."

"Excellent."

…

2 hours later

"Does something feel a little…off about this to you?"

"Keep listening to your intuition, son. You're not wrong about Hutts, and especially not this one in particular. With a price tag that big, this assassin either isn't working alone or he's a trump card. Essentially, Durga doesn't expect us to survive. Keep your head on a swivel."

Xel nodded as he and his father went back to back momentarily, both of them turning their eyes in every direction. The last hour and a half after reaching Durga's coordinates had been spent combing the uneven landscape for signs of life. Thus far, they'd run into a half dozen native life forms that were none too happy to see them. Xel's armor bore a few scuffs from a Chemilizard who decided to try taking a chunk out of him only to get a durasteel knife to the neck. Xander hadn't gotten off much better, but _beskar_ was more effective than durasteel.

The relatively calm drudgery of their search left both hunters with a lot of time to think, and for the last two months, one topic in particular had plagued Xel's mind. Ever since learning of the existence of not one but two lost family members, the boy had pestered his father about them both. Xander, like his son, had had little to no contact with the other twin or his mother, and even then only through brief Force connections. He left that bit out when he explained the primary reason he was reluctant to go to Coruscant. All Xel knew was that if the Empire discovered the existence of either child, much less both, they would stop at nothing to track down and capture them.

When Xel had asked for a deeper explanation, Xander shut down and tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. Fearing that if he pushed too hard, Xan would clam up for good, Xel had asked about the history between his parents, how they met, how they fell in love, etc. Even as loose-tongued as Xander had been over the following weeks, Xel could tell that he was holding back certain details, and it didn't take a genius to tie them to the Empire. In his spare time, and quite behind his father's back, Xel had done research on the Imperials and their goals, gleaned either through outright statements or the evidence of history. Above all, one thing was glaringly obvious. They didn't take kindly to threats, real or perceived.

When he reached that conclusion, Xel was more confused than ever. How could four people, no matter how experienced or deadly, be a threat to an empire that had thousands of ships and millions of soldiers under its command? The boy had briefly considered interrogating his father until he caved, but dismissed that option as an impossibility. If he had learned anything from the stories of Xander and Telia, his mother, and their adventures during the Clone Wars, it was that they were both as stubborn as Mandalorian iron, and just as tough. He could only hope that the day Xander spoke of, when they would finally be reunited, would come soon. He had a feeling everything would be laid bare when that happened.

_ Speaking of…_

Xander marched over to a large, suspicious-looking piece of metal and toed it carefully, wary of booby traps. He gave his son a nod, and Xel drew his second pistol as well, pointing both barrels at the metal as Xander started to lift it. The sheet went completely upright as both of their eyes widened. A series of rhythmic beeps was the only other sound than the rapid crunching of their boots against the ground as they sprinted away from the armed detpack. It detonated a moment later, sending them both careening forward onto their chests. Groaning at the impact, the hunters scrambled to their feet a moment before blaster fire slashed across Xander's torso.

"_Buir_!"

"I'm fine!" Xander shouted back as he sprinted toward a rocky outcropping with his son in tow. They both slid behind cover a few moments later, Xander taking a moment to inspect the char-marks on his armor. He let out a long hissing breath. "Gotta love _beskar_."

"Any idea where that came from?"

Xander's eyes narrowed behind his helmet as he drew his Blackjack and tapped the side of his helmet with one finger, the antenna pivoting down to hover over his eyeslit. "I've got a few." Inside his helmet, the head of the antenna served as a focusing device to his built-in macrobinoculars, essentially giving him an all-purpose scope. The smog that covered the entirety of the polluted planet's surface made it hard to see, but a quick modification of his visor allowed him view of the infrared spectrum. One blazing red heat signature presented itself, and he smiled as he lined up the sights of his weapon with the target's head.

Only to have another blaster bolt smack into his arm's plating.

"What the hell?!"

The second salvo was coming from somewhere else entirely, and both hunters realized Xander had been right. Hammer wasn't alone, and whoever his partner or partners were, they were crack shots.

"We're sitting ducks," Xander pointed out as he returned suppressing fire into the fog. "I'll provide cover, you get to the ship."

"What? No way! I'm _not_ leaving!"

"No, of course not!" Xander grunted as another bolt smacked his chest. "You're going to fly it and vaporize the target I designate."

"Why not blast 'em both?"

"Because one of them is probably Hammer, and Durga wants him alive."

Xel nodded his acknowledgement as Xander emptied his rifle of tibanna gas, sending streams of fire in several directions. The boy kept running until the sounds of battle got fainter, then kicked in his jetpack to give himself an extra boost. The ship was in sight in seconds, but so were the half-dozen Blazing Claw Pirates trying to break in. Xel's teeth clenched as he drew both pistols and shifted the dials on their sides to full auto. He touched down on the top of the ship, right above two pirates who were standing guard and snapping their weapons in his direction. A torrent of red plasma dropped them before Xel performed a twist-flip forward onto the ground, quite a feat in heavy armor.

His blasters spat out bolts at a rate of four a second each, mowing down three more as the last one ducked behind a landing gear for cover. _Futile_. Xel jetpacked sideways, arcing around his cover rapidly, then plugging him without a second thought before returning to the locked landing ramp. Quickly inputting the proper access code, Xel ascended the ramp and locked it behind him, sprinting for the cockpit and keying the engines on. The _Kandosii'tal_'s repulsor lifts powered up, bringing the ship to a hover as Xel took off toward his father. The ship was tracking a transponder in his suit, but even if it hadn't been, the telltale flashes of green, gold, and red were clear as a beacon from the air.

His hand went to his helmet. "_Buir_, I've got the ship. Mark 'em!"

"Be careful, Xel. This _chakaar's_ got a lot of tech, that detpack, for example."

"You think anything he has can crack _this_ armor?"

"Probably not, but better safe than sorry."

Xel nodded, though he knew his father couldn't see it, and nudged the stick forward, dropping the ship slightly as he readied for his father's instructions.

"Xel, I've got an idea. Fly low."

"Copy."

Mere seconds later, and a human rocket was flying toward the ship, Blackjack and DD6 firing madly at the ground as he landed on top of the ship.

"Fly toward these coordinates," Xander transmitted.

Xel thumbed a flashing button and followed his father's lead, the armored hull of the ship putting a proper barrier between Xander and Hammer's attacks. "There."

"Stand by." Xander leapt off the front of the ship in a death-defying drop, popping his jetpack at the last second and firing a wrist rocket at something Xel couldn't see. A few moments and flurried blaster fire later, and the boy's father spoke again. "Found Hammer!"

"You got him?"

"Not—" he grunted, "—not quite. _Shab_-face is putting up a fight, but I've got him handled. Vape anything else that moves!"

"Roger that," Xel said with some relish, having never been behind the firing controls of this beast. His fingers danced over the pilot's station, removing the safeties on the _Kandosii_'s weapon systems before activating the infrared filters in his helmet. Several heat signatures immediately revealed themselves, and he armed the ship's repeating blaster cannons, sweeping them over the positions of two attackers before the enemy caught on. They never stood a chance. Although the atmosphere of Nal Hutta lent itself to concealment and the rocky terrain to cover, what little protection the numerous crags provided were useless against turbolasers. When the last cluster of heat sigs went dim, he turned back to the complex, as he recognized it, where he'd dropped off Xander.

"_Buir_, how ya doing? Dad?"

A grunt came from the other end of the link. "This—_chakaar's_—tough!"

The distinctive crunch of broken bones was heard, and Xel sorely hoped they didn't belong to his father.

"And he's not alone!"

"You need me there?"

"No!" Shuffling and blaster fire was heard as Xander scrambled to cover. "Hammer's got a ship here, he has an escape plan. The pirates are a distraction, meant to keep us from following, but you're in the air. Find that ship and blast it to pieces before he can take off!"

Xel's jaw dropped as an Imperial Lambda-class shuttle rose out of a large building in the complex. "I think…it's a little late for that."

"_Shab_—I see it."

"What do I do?"

"Lower the ramp and standby." Another jet of light and thrust brought Xander into the ship as he sprinted to the cockpit, where Xel allowed him to sit in the pilot's seat after raising the ramp. "Get on the missile controls."

"What for?"

Xander didn't answer for a few seconds as the ship in front of them took off toward the outer atmosphere, the hunters in close pursuit. "If that shuttle has half the firepower and shielding as a fully militarized one, we'll need the extra punch."

Xel nodded and complied, getting a firm lock on the ship as they approached space. "If we blow him out of the sky, how are we gonna get him alive?" He could hear the smile in his father's response.

"We'll blow him out _gently_."

That, Xel realized as the first lances of energy splashed against their shields, was highly unlikely.

…

_This useless piece of _osik_…_

Xander fired again and again, his turbolasers pounding Hammer's shields as he juked to avoid another incoming salvo. Durga hadn't been kidding when he said Kell was an accomplished pilot.

"Incoming missiles!" Xel shouted.

"Deploy countermeasures!"

A chaff burst shot out of a hatch on the ship's top into the path of two of three missiles, the third staying locked on. Xander's teeth ground together as a quick burst of thrust in combination with a sideways roll took them out of the weapon's path—right into another turbolaser burst.

"Oh, for _shab's_ sake!" Udesii_, Xander, _udesii_._ The Mandalorian reached out to the Force, his hands and entire body briefly going numb as energy flowed through him. His hands flew over the controls, the ship responding to his touch like a bird to the changing wind, its movements smooth and graceful.

"Woah."

Xander barely heard Xel's exhaled whisper, but it brought a smile to his face. _One day, you'll learn to do this too._ The Force spoke to him, and he fired a burst of laser fire into Hammer's left wing at the instant he fired another set of missiles. It was a well-known fact among combat pilots that firing off solid projectiles requires brief deactivation of the ship's particle shields. With the Force, Telia had taken advantage of it and taught Xander to do the same, anticipating his enemy's tactics and firing at just the right time. Hammer's ship lurched sideways as Xander easily dodged the overshooting missile.

"_Osik_."

Xander looked at his son. "What?"

"He's taken all power from weapons and poured them into shields and engines. He's gonna try to jump!"

"Like _shab_ he is." Xander gunned the engines of the _Kandosii_, streaking toward Hammer's vessel and firing all weapons madly. "When I say, fire a pair of missiles directly at his aft section."

"Roger."

Xander's blasters and turbolasers relentlessly hammered Hammer's ship, the shields starting to sputter and die. "Now!"

A pair of projectiles rocketed toward the ship, smacking directly into the armor above the engines.

"_Shab_, I missed…"

"Don't think so," Xander said with a smile, feeling the sudden uncertainty and panic of their fleeing target. A quick scan of the shuttle verified his suspicions. "You hit their hyperdrive core, _ad'ika_. They're stuck in realspace." He grinned and smacked Xel's shoulder. "Well done."

"Uh oh."

Xander felt what he was talking about. The shuttle was coming about—and its weapons were active. A half dozen blaster cannons slammed their contents into the _Kandosii_ at once, one or two rounds cutting through and slashing gaping holes in its ventral armor. A quick roll sent the ship out of immediate danger and on the defensive. To their surprise, the shuttle didn't reengage, instead opting to gun its engines toward Nar Shaddaa.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Xel complained.

"Sadly, no. If he reaches the Smuggler's Moon, he'll go to ground, vanish if he can."

"We can make 'im reappear, though, right?"

Xander pressed his lips together. "Yes, but I'd really rather get this over with quickly."

"Seconded." Another positive missile lock complimented his agreement before Xel fired off a three-round salvo.

Xander scattered blaster fire across the shuttle's waning shields, Hammer juking from one side to the other as they approached Nar Shaddaa together. The heat of reentry screwed with both their targeting systems, but Xander had the Force as his ally, and the next salvo of shots flew true. The shuttle's tailfin broke in half, throwing off the ship's entire flight pattern but allowing it to keep aloft long enough to crash-land on a lengthy high-rise.

"We got him," Xander said with a smile. "Well done, Xel. Let's bag this _chakaar_."

"That sixty-five is startin' to look good."

Xan silently agreed as they landed some distance from the wreck and dismounted, running toward the downed ship with weapons drawn. Blaster fire sent them scattering and rolling in opposite directions before jetting into the air as they returned fire. A stray blaster bolt hit Xel's jetpack and ruptured its left jet. Xander's heart dropped as his son careened toward the edge of the building in a haphazard spiral. Momentarily distracted, he barely cut his pack in time to avoid a headshot and rolled on impact with the rooftop. Xander called on the Force and sprinted toward his son, who was starting to get a handle on the jetpack's issue when two blaster bolts smacked his shoulder and left thigh, sending him into another tailspin.

Rage shot through the Mando's father as he aimed his Blackjack toward the flaming wreck one-handedly, a single shot from the weapon killing the pirate who'd blasted his son before he tossed the rifle aside and reached out with the Force. The spastic flight pattern inexplicably began to stabilize as Xel lowered himself to the ground and turned off the pack, spotting his father looking on in relief. Xel snapped both his pistols toward the wreck and fired off two automatic bursts, suppressing the sniper aiming for his father's exposed jumpsuit. Smiling slightly, Xander refocused and rolled toward his fallen rifle, hefting it and joining his son in his assault.

"Give it up, Hammer!" Xander's only answer was more blaster fire.

A nod to Xel was enough to send them both sprinting for the wreck, rolling behind cover and continuing their firing patterns. This continued another ten seconds before they realized they were the only ones firing. A confused look passed between them when Xel's eyes flickered over to rapid movement and widened.

"_Buir_—"

Xan followed his extended finger—to a stream of leaking fuel snaking toward the fire. "Go!"

Both Mandos sprinted away as fast as possible, Xander popping his jetpack and grabbing his son's shoulders on the way forward as they shot away from the primitive time bomb. The resulting explosion consumed the majority of the ship and its half of the rooftop, the fireball expanding until the faintest trace of heat could be felt through both of their armors, both rolling to a stop after the shockwave smacked into them. They both sprinted back toward the shuttle when it seemed like the danger was over.

"Did we get him?" Xel asked.

Xander knelt in the center of the wreck and stretched out with the Force, looking for the traces of fear and anger that he knew were most often present immediately after a person's death. His eyes snapped open as he scowled. "No." He rose to his feet.

"How can you be sure? There was no way off the roof, and they were backed into a corner."

Xander strode to the edge and looked over the side. Any civilians who hadn't been scared off either by the shootout or crash had fled at the explosion, speeder upon speeder curving away from the smoke and flames. _The speeders._ "The speeders, Xel."

"Of course."

"Coming here wasn't an act of desperation after all. He had a contingency, and contacts on this world." Xander scowled harder and slumped to a crouch. "If he has friends here, powerful friends, as Durga seemed to think, he'll be damn near impossible to find."

"Only if we can't find a few friends of our own."

Xander looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Uh..." Xel scratched the back of his helmet. "You remember that thing, two months ago...where I said it might it be nothing?"

Xander's eyes narrowed as he nodded.

"Well, she's here, on Nar Shaddaa." He stood a little straighter and spoke firmly. "And I think she can help."

* * *

AN: Since I'll be out for the majority of today, I decided to release this chapter a bit early.


	5. Sacrifice

"Coming here wasn't an act of desperation after all. He had a contingency, and contacts on this world." Xander scowled harder and slumped to a crouch. "If he has friends here, powerful friends, as Durga seemed to think, he'll be damn near impossible to find."

"Only if we can't find a few friends of our own."

Xander looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Uh..." Xel scratched the back of his helmet. "You remember that thing, two months ago...where I said it might it be nothing?"

Xander's eyes narrowed as he nodded.

"Well, she's here, on Nar Shaddaa." He stood a little straighter and spoke firmly. "And I think she can help."

…

5 minutes later

Nar Shaddaa

1 year, 7 months BBY

Smoke rose from a large rectangular high-rise in the crowded cityscape of the Smuggler's Moon as a large ship took off from that same location, its occupants unaware they were being watched. Two keen silver eyes narrowed as they shot across the sky and out of view. A hand reached down and grabbed a holocommunicator, activating it a moment later and waiting for an answer at the other end. The device emitted a blue hologram, the imposing figure of Darth Vader on the other end.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

The man holding the communicator pursed his lips tightly. "A craft matching one that left Coruscant two months ago has landed on Nar Shaddaa. Its occupants are two Mandalorian bounty hunters currently on a job."

"What concern of mine is this?"

The man bit his tongue hard to keep from scowling at his master's tone. "Some time ago, I discovered a direct connection between that ship, the _Kandosii'tal_, and the presence you commissioned me to find. I believe that one of the vessel's owners is the person you seek." He could feel the narrowed eyes behind Vader's mask.

"How did you come by this information?"

"A contact of mine, an Anzati, was coerced on Coruscant the night of the disturbance—by two Mandalorians. The same pair was seen blasting through a loading dock in the industrial sector later that night. When I learned of this meeting, I had the last piece of the puzzle."

"And yet they evaded you for two months," Vader judged.

The man turned away to avoid showing his displeasure to Vader. "Yes," he said quietly. "I sense you were right about our target. He must be strong in the Force to have eluded me."

"Indeed."

He couldn't help but detect the sarcasm in Vader's tone. "That same contact sent me a data packet when he detected that ship in Hutt-controlled space, and I traveled there with all speed. I have now confirmed both the identity and location of the targets, master."

The Dark Lord was silent a few moments, arms crossed, before nodding. "Well done, my apprentice."

"What must I do now?"

"Nothing. Only ensure that they do not leave that world."

The man's brows furrowed deeply. "May I ask why?" Vader's masked glare closed his throat shut.

"I will see to this matter personally."

"Yes, my lord."

…

10 minutes later

Xel's heart was beating out a furious rhythm as his father piloted their speeder through the busy air lanes.

"So," Xander started, "who exactly is this girl?"

Xel's face heated slight. "Uh…it's a bit of a long story."

"Gonna be some time 'til we reach our destination, so."

Xel stayed silent for a few seconds. "I met her here a few months back. We haven't really spoken since, but she left an open invitation."

Xander's eyebrows rose. "For what exactly?"

The boy gulped. "Um…"

"Oh. After one day? Really?"

Xel laughed nervously. "Like I said, could be nothing. Nothing special, anyway."

Xan nodded slowly. "So what's her name?"

The boy gulped.

"Xel? Who is she?"

Xel sighed and closed his eyes. "Maila Yar."

Xander stared at him before remembering to keep his eyes on the sky. "Maila Yar, as in _the_ Maila Yar, as in the woman who tipped off your first bounty."

"Yeah," he responded quietly, looking away.

Xan was dumbstruck. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you think we can trust her?"

"Because…because she said she'd do me a favor."

Xander looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Why?"

Xel let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, the day I bagged my first bounty was the day she sent me a holomessage. She congratulated me on the tracker move and actually _thanked_ me for taking the Twi'lek off her hands."

"And?"

"And she said she'd do me a favor if I ever came back to Nar Shaddaa."

"She actually said that?"

"Not…in those words, no."

"What words exactly then?"

Xel's face reddened more with the memory. "I think it was something like, 'if you're ever on the Smuggler's Moon again, I'll have business for you.'"

"So not a favor exactly. More like a job."

"Yeah, but I'm sure she won't blow us off."

"And why's that? She's a businesswoman. What's in it for her?"

Xel clenched his teeth.

"Hadn't thought that far?"

"No," he admitted. "But I'll think of something."

Xander pressed his lips into a thin line, turning toward a contoured high-rise and pulling to a stop on an attached landing pad. Slipping both their helmets on, the two Mandos exited their vehicle, giving the appropriate credit fee to a nearby valet before striding toward the entrance. They were greeted by two Zabrak guards and a human receptionist just inside.

"Good afternoon, sirs," she said politely, her smile looking a little forced. "What can I do for you?"

Xander opened his mouth to speak before remembering this was Xel's idea and, by extension, his responsibility.

"I need to speak to Maila Yar," the boy said, his helmet deepening his voice.

"May I ask what about?"

"Tell her I'm taking her up on her offer, if it's still available. She'll know what I mean."

"Of course, sir."

A minute or two of waiting and a short conversation in Huttese, and the receptionist smiled at them again. "Head right in," she said, motioning to a pair of double-doors to her left.

"Thank you." Xel strode toward the doors, but stopped about two feet away. "_Buir_, I think it might be best if you stayed here."

Xander considered this for a moment before nodding. "She'll only know you anyway."

Xel nodded in thanks and strode in, the doors parting as he approached to reveal a large, semi-circular office with red curtains covering the majority of the windows, light streaming through three central panes and lighting up a door-facing desk on the far side of the room. The woman seated there was facing away from him, seemingly observing the flow of traffic outside. Smiling, she turned in her seat and locked her gaze on the approaching Mando.

"Xel Caden," she said sweetly, her voice lilting softly as she rose from her chair. The Zeltron strode around her desk, right toward her guest, as her hips swayed slightly, her form-fitting dress showing off her curves in all the right places. Her smile widened slightly at Xel's near-imperceptible intake of breath. "It's been quite a while."

"I've…been busy," he replied apologetically.

Maila fluttered her lashes. "Oh I know. See, I've done my best to keep track of you, and I must say, I'm quite impressed."

Xel cleared his throat, infinitely grateful she couldn't see how badly he was blushing. "I do my best."

She giggled slightly and took his arm. "Please, sit. Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you." He sat slowly, keeping his helmet on, the _buy'ce_ his only protection against this woman's charms.

"So," she started, taking another seat across from him, "what brings you to my humble abode?"

Xel raised an eyebrow at the word "humble." "A bounty, actually. Since you, uh, have a knack for knowing things on this world, I thought you might have some information."

"Ah."

Xel could tell she was a little miffed by the way her smile dampened slightly. "You did say business _or_ pleasure," he reminded her.

"So I did." Her entire expression changed, suddenly shifting from seductive to businesslike.

Xel knew it took some effort. "The man we're looking for, his name's Kell Hammer."

With that, her smile vanished instantly, replaced by widened eyes and a slightly open mouth. "Whatever you're being paid, I guarantee it's not enough."

"Well we've tangled with him twice already, and we're okay."

Her brows knitted. "We?"

He let out a long breath, mentally kicking himself. "Yes, my partner and I. I thought you'd been keeping track of me."

A small smirk graced her features. "I was. Just making sure you were paying attention."

He rolled his eyes. _Women._ "Look, do you know anything or not? It's just a matter of time before he finds a way offworld, and we'd rather not chase him across the galaxy."

She pressed her lips together. "Not to be crude, but…what's in this for me?"

Xel mentally cursed, thinking for a while. "Five percent of our bounty."

Maila raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

"Fine, ten."

"Finder's fees are on average thirty percent. Anything lower is a friends and family discount, and I don't quite think we're there yet."

Xel heaved a sigh. "Twenty then."

"Thirty."

"Twenty-one."

"Twenty-eight."

"Twenty-five."

She smirked. "Sold." Maila leaned back in her seat. "What did that earn me exactly?"

Xel did a quick calculation in his head. "Given that we fulfill all aspects of our client's demands, over 16K."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who's paying that kind of cash?"

"Durga," Xel answered with no small amount of disgust.

Her tight-lipped smile confirmed that she shared his opinion. "I see." She was silent a long time, hands in her lap as she averted her gaze.

"Can you help me?"

Her ice-blue eyes flickered to his eyeslit, and she smiled sadly. "Yes, but I can guarantee that you won't like what you find."

"On hunts with stakes this high, I rarely do." He rose to his feet as she did the same.

Maila strode behind her desk, her features forming a frown of concentration as she accessed her computer. "Does this have anything to do with that crashed shuttle?"

Xel struck a pose, hands on his holsters as a grin came to his masked face. "Maybe."

The woman pressed a final key, deploying a data disc from the terminal and handing it to him. "That's a list of Hammer's known contacts on Nar Shaddaa. Since he visits here frequently, I keep tabs on him."

"Why him in particular?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I mind any particularly dangerous individuals hanging about in my territory."

Xel couldn't help but feel uneasy at the look she gave him. "I see." He waved the disc. "Thank you."

"Thank me with that thirty percent."

"Twenty-five," he corrected. "I have it on record."

She positively beamed at him. "Smart man." Her smile faded as he turned for the door. "Xel."

He turned his head toward her, noting her unease and tension.

"Be careful. Hammer is not someone to trifle with."

"I never trifle, Maila," he assured her, "but thank you for your concern."

…

Xander was pacing outside Maila's office. _They're taking a while._ Although it had been infinitely amusing to feel his son's embarrassment and distress during their conversation, the cold fear that had come from the woman just now unsettled him. Did she know something about Hammer that they didn't?

Xel exited the room, interrupting his thoughts and holding up a data disc. "Got the goods."

"How much did it cost us?"

"Twenty-five percent."

"Ah…_shab_. Price of doing business, I guess."

"And now we know where to look."

Five minutes later and they were sitting back in their speeder, sifting through over a dozen names that were tied to their target.

"So…we pick a side of the list and start knockin' heads?"

Xander pursed his lips. He knew a much less tedious way of narrowing things down, but was he ready to let his son know what he could do? He deserved to know, surely, but would it be too much of a shock? Was it time he learned of his heritage, of his potential?

"_Buir_?"

"Sorry. Just thinking." _Oh Telia…I wish you were here._ He stretched out to the Force and closed his eyes, the action invisible behind his faceplate as he dragged his index across the list. A mental nudge stopped his hand briefly, and his eyes flickered open for a moment to note the name before moving on. No one else gave him that feeling. _Koris…that's all it says._ He knew it would be suspicious if he picked a seemingly random name off the list and it just so happened to be right, so instead, he thought of a slightly more time-consuming approach. "Hammer's going to be looking for a new ride, right?"

"Right."

"So, let's see about this ship dealer." He pointed to a name two away from Koris'. "And then just go down the list, 'cause there's nothing else coming to mind."

"Good thinking. Can I drive?"

Xander laid the datapad aside and scoffed as he gripped the controls and brought the speeder into a gentle climb.

…

1 hour later

As expected, the two people they interrogated first yielded no results, and now they were coming on the third. Xander seemed much tenser than usual as they approached a tall apartment complex. Xel's blasters came out of their holsters as they strode away from their ship, having landed on a pad directly connected to their target. The two Mandos strode through the door, the dusk sunlight casting a red sheen over the immediate entrance and illuminating a poorly lit hallway. Xan gave his son a nod, and the boy pressed himself to a wall while his father took the other, sweeping toward the room where they would find this Koris. Or, so they hoped.

Xander focused in the Force, sweeping the area for signs of life. By and large, this building was abandoned, left to decay by its few tenants, most of whom were either poor or vagrants. There was one, though, one mind who was not steeped in despair, but frustration and a small amount of anxiety. Xander motioned to Xel, who followed him closely as they approached the door. Xan tapped his helmet, activating its infrared function, only to find the door and walls insulated, either a precaution by the current tenant or an improvised climate control system to compensate for the building's shortcomings. Seeing that Xel was having the same difficulty, Xander motioned for him to stack up, drawing his DD6 and making a finger countdown. The door was kicked in by them both simultaneously, and barely a split-second later, blaster bolts were flying from six different sources.

Both hunters dove for cover as Hammer and three others laid down suppressing fire. The assassin was withdrawing toward the window, his men giving him sufficient cover. Xander motioned to Xel, then pointed at his own gauntlet and the enemy. The boy gave him a battle sign.

_"You sure?"_

Xander gave him a single nod, drawing his Blackjack and laying down automatic fire as his son rose from cover. Xel raised his left arm and clenched his left index, the motion firing off a wrist rocket right into the middle of their attackers. Furniture and bodies went flying in a storm of flame and smoke, but as the Mandos approached, they only noted three bodies. Xan reached out with the Force, instantly tagging Kell, and stormed toward the open window, stepping out onto a narrow walkway. Xel followed as closely and quickly as he could.

"There!"

The boy followed his father's finger and nodded before triggering his repaired jetpack, both of them shooting toward their fleeing bounty. They dropped into a dive, cutting their thrust for a moment before arcing back up onto the catwalk their target was fleeing across. He rolled under a grappling hook shot his way and spun as he rose to a crouch, drawing two pistols and firing at them both. At that distance, Xel would have thought that he'd never land a hit, but surely enough, he got smacked in the faceplate by a random blaster bolt.

"Xel, you all right?!"

"Fine! This guy's really startin' to piss me off!"

_Seconded,_ Xander thought as he fired his DD6 at Hammer's legs. The assassin had his reputation for a reason, though, and deftly avoided their shots, ducking into a storefront and eliciting several screams as he ran through. The Mandalorians were close on his heels. When he came out the other side, relief struck him as a speeder descended to his level, the side door opening to reveal a half-dozen Blazing Claw Pirates toting heavy blasters. A hailstorm of blaster fire cut across the catwalk, both pursuers diving for what limited cover they could get. It was a matter of seconds before that started getting melted.

Xel raised his right arm and flexed his index, sending another rocket toward the speeder's engine section. It detonated brilliantly, sending the vehicle into a tailspin as Kell dove away from the falling wreck. When it finally ground to a halt on the walkway, two of the men inside kicked the door open, giving Hammer the cover he needed to run.

"Dad, get after him! I got this!"

Xander pursed his lips and nodded, tossing a small thermal detonator at the wreck before jetpacking off toward Hammer.

…

Xel exchanged more blaster fire with the enemy, hating the fact that he always managed to be left behind to take out the trash. _It _was_ your idea,_ he reminded himself bitterly. A jetpack burst took him toward the remaining cluster of three pirates, and an automatic burst from his pistols put one down before he flew behind a building. Hovering in place for a moment, he launched his grappling hook into the side of his cover, diagonally below and toward the enemy. Smirking, he cut his jetpack as he swung in a pendulum motion, his movement too rapid for them to track as he came back into view.

His right-hand pistol fired madly, cutting smoking holes into the last two pirates before releasing the cable and jetpacking to the ground. Suddenly, a feeling of sharp dread smacked into him, his mind's eye flashing to his armored father, who looked like he was in a darkened warehouse. His head snapped toward a building in the distance, and he fell into a breakneck sprint, his jetpack activating and sending him rocketing toward it. He burst through a window on the second floor, revealing an inside exactly like the vision he'd had just a few moments ago. Before he could consider what that could mean, he heard Xander's agonized scream and looked around feverishly.

He spotted him a moment later, and his heart took a sharp drop as he saw the bloody knife driven between his armor plates. Before he knew what was happening, his pistols went into their holsters and his body flew toward the pair. A furious roar came from his helmet's vocabulator as he slammed into Hammer, pinning him to the ground until he was tossed off somewhat sluggishly. Hammer grabbed his knife from where it had fallen, the short vibroblade humming slightly as Xel drew his own. Xander had collapsed to his knees and was pressing his palm against his injury, trying to stem the flow of blood.

Burning hot rage filled him, and his right hand clenched around the durasteel knife's hilt as the assassin charged. Everything slowed to a stop as adrenaline filled his veins, his knife's blade skidding against Kell's as he reflected the blow, driving a hard hook into the right side of his face. He followed with a sharp roundhouse kick to his exposed gut, which, to both their surprise, knocked him back three feet. Xel felt more than angry, he was blacked out. _How dare you…how _dare_ you!_ Kell actually recoiled in fear before finding his nerve again and moving back in. Xel slashed several times, both of them parrying each other's blows as they dueled, the boy forgetting all about the fact that they needed him alive.

Everything blurred together as their fight dragged out, the boy somewhat shocked at how well he was doing against his _much_ more experienced opponent. His durasteel knife clattered to the floor, but he didn't care. Xel battered Kell's face and torso, his gauntlets deflecting the vibroblade again and again as he slowly backed him into a corner. His success was a deception. Hammer deflected a punch with his knife-hand before dropping the blade into his other hand, the tip shooting toward Xel's exposed right shoulder…

Only to stop when the boy's lightning-fast left hand grabbed his wrist, his grip tighter than he ever thought possible as he squeezed it until something cracked. The Epicanthix shrieked in pain as his knife clattered to the floor, Xel leveling everything against him, fists, knees, boots, and finally, a head-butt. Hammer fell backward, sluggishly recovering his balance as his opponent kept advancing. There were three Mandalorians facing him, all blurry, all looking pissed beyond reason.

He never stood a chance.

Two of his lower ribs were broken when Xel used his right hand to add force to a left elbow, the boy using his Mandalorian iron to its full extent as he took Kell apart piece by piece. A bruised, bleeding mess, Hammer was limping away in seconds. A grappling hook went through his left hand when he tried to run, and he shrieked as Xel yanked him to the ground, pinning him there with his armored forearm, the gauntlet cutting off his oxygen supply as he slowly applied more and more pressure.

"Xel, no!"

His father's voice, firm and authoritative, stopped him in his tracks, and as he looked down at his near-unrecognizable opponent, Xel took a sharp intake of breath. He recoiled, releasing him and stepping back several paces.

"_Buir_...I—I didn't mean to—"

"Yes you did."

A firm hand on Xel's shoulder alerted him to his father's approach and gave him a rough estimate of how well he was doing. _Injured...walking...not critical._ He sighed heavily in relief.

"It's all right, son."

He let out a ragged breath and looked at his blood-stained gloves, then at their target, who had passed out in pain. "We should...get some binders on 'im. And...get you some medical attention."

Xander gave him a small nod, his free hand pressed to his gut. "You take care of him, I'll take care of me."

Xel nodded numbly, taking another long look at his hands before reaching for the stun-cuffs in his belt.

...

2 minutes earlier

Imperial Dreadnought in orbit over Nar Shaddaa

All eyes on the bridge of the _Judicator_ turned toward the new arrival, then quickly averted as they all went back to what they were doing as fast as possible. The captain was about to berate them when he too saw what they worked so hard to avoid and wished he could do the same. His stance sharpened and posture stiffened to avoid showing how badly he wanted to shake.

"Lord Vader. Welcome aboard, sir."

"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Captain. I'm not here to inspect your forces."

"Well then, my lord, what can I do for you?"

"Wait."

"Wait, sir?"

Vader strode past him without a word and stood in front of the bridge's observation viewport, his gaze directed at the planet below. A sharp tug in the Dark Lord's mind got his attention, and his eyes closed instantly in concentration as he tugged back, following it to the planet below. Whoever this entity was, he would not escape him this time. A small malevolent smile came to his face. "Ready a platoon of your finest men, Captain. I'm going to the surface."

"Y-Yes, milord."

...

30 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal, Nar Shaddaa

Xel had just left the ship after touching down on Maila's personal landing pad, the trip over and a few minutes after dedicated to getting Xander stabilized. Of course, he couldn't rightly tell his son that his injuries would be healed in a matter of hours. After all, he still didn't know about the Force. _But he used it...on Hammer. And I didn't._ Xander's lips pressed together tightly. He'd put Xel at risk, not only with a professional assassin, but with a force of nature he had no inkling of and no idea how to control. The very first time he had drawn on the Force directly, and Xel had done so out of anger...no, out of rage.

_At least when I first did that, I was already a man well on in years._ And he'd had Telia to help guide him. _He'll have _me_ to guide him,_ Xander promised himself. _At least for now._ His eyes closed as he opened himself to the Force, smiling gently as he felt his son's excitement. The mirth vanished as that excitement turned to surprise and then fear. His hazel eyes shot open and he leapt from the medical berth, his injuries raw but not in danger of reopening thanks to his timely healing trance. The landing ramp lowered at his touch and he was sprinting out onto the pad when he felt it.

_No..._ His eyes widened in sudden terror, and he looked around himself, noticing his environment for the first time. Xan immediately snapped himself back to reality and ran toward the building. His son needed him, and as his wife had once said, the future was always in motion. _Nothing is written in stone._

...

"Where's Maila?"

The imposing, black-armored figure in front of Xel couldn't be less concerned about the two blasters leveled against him. "The lady of the house? I convinced her to take a leave of absence." He slowly strode toward Xel, motioning to the slightly blackened walls and carbon scoring around them.

"Don't take another step."

Vader smiled behind his mask, but acquiesced. "You know who I am."

"Yes," he hissed. "Do I particularly care? No. What have you done with her?"

"I'm sure she will be just fine. You, however, will not unless you lower those weapons."

"You're unarmed."

"That you can see."

Xel clenched his teeth. "Where—is—she?"

Finally deciding enough was enough, Vader barely waved his hand, sending both blasters clattering to the floor.

_Well that's...unfortunate._ Xel and the Sith Lord in front of him stared each other down for a few moments, the former's hands clenching into fists.

"Xel, run!"

The boy and his enemy whirled toward the source of the voice. Xel dove for his blasters. Vader strode toward them both. Xander stepped between them. Vader stopped in his tracks.

"I see now," he said after a long while, looking at Xander, then Xel. "A son."

A rush of fear went through them both, Xel in ignorance, Xander in knowledge. _What is he talking about?_

"Yes," Xander answered him, "_my_ son." He outstretched his hand and, to Xel's shock, his son's knife flew to his open, gloveless palm. "Xel, get back to the ship."

"What?!"

"Go, I'm right behind you."

Xel reluctantly obeyed, and they sprinted out the door one after the other only to be greeted by a half-dozen Imperial stormtroopers.

"There is no escape."

_Like hell._ Xel triggered his jetpack, shooting into the air to fire off two wrist rockets. Half the squad managed to get to safety, but three of them were either blown apart or knocked off the side of the landing pad.

...

Xander made for the last three, but an all-too-familiar sound from behind stopped him in his tracks.

_Snap-hiss._

Xander slowly turned toward Vader, who now held a crimson lightsaber in his right hand, and tried hard not to gulp.

"The boy's power must be cultivated."

The Mando snarled and faced him. "Yes, but not by you." They faced off for a few moments, Xander absently noting the blaster fire behind him as Xel engaged the enemy.

"You cannot win."

"I don't need to." And with that, Xander cut all the shackles, all the mental restraints, and completely opened himself to the Force. Power, pure and unadulterated, rushed through him, and he smiled malevolently at the strange but familiar feeling. _It's been far too long since I've cut loose._ His eyes opened and glared at Vader before he threw his knife. Adding power to his throw with the Force, the knife shot toward the Sith, who sidestepped it faster than he thought possible. The weapon returned to his hand a moment later as Vader closed the distance, lunging forward in a stab. Xander juked around the strike, but the master duelist anticipated the move and spun counterclockwise, slashing in a horizontal arc that would have bisected him had he not ducked.

Xan brought the knife upward in a stab, but Vader's left hand grabbed his wrist and started to squeeze. Not used to being on the receiving end of such a crushing grip, Xander released the knife in pain before channeling the Force into his left arm and delivering a powerful blow to Vader's helmet. The Dark Lord stumbled back a step, swinging his saber upward as his opponent sidestepped and rolled away, using his superior dexterity and mobility to his advantage. Xander focused and held his hands close at his side, channeling his frustration and anger into a Force Blast that was released a moment later.

His jaw dropped a little when Darth Vader not only wasn't affected, but reflected the strike back at him in a wave. Xander Force Jumped over the worst of it, but was still buffeted and thrown off-balance. He recovered in a rough roll on the hull of the platform, spinning to face his enemy and charging toward him…or so Vader thought. When Xan was within striking distance, the Dark Lord slashed diagonally upward and right, but his opponent leapt into the air at that exact moment, twisting his body so that the saber skidded across his shin plate as he flipped over Vader. Once again supremely glad for _beskar_, Xander sprinted for the _Kandosii'tal_.

"Xel, let's go!"

The boy flew over from where he was pinning down two stormtroopers to ascend the ship's ramp with his father in tow. The craft powered up and started to lift off mere seconds later, jolting to a stop despite their best efforts. Confused, Xander desperately looked for the problem until he reached out with the Force and _felt_ it. He looked at his son, heart sinking as the truth finally dawned. A few keystrokes on the dashboard later, and Xander rose from his seat, his expression solemn, retrieving his jetpack and strapping it on.

"Dad, where are you going?!"

He lowered the ramp and stood on the edge as Xel finally realized what he was doing.

"_Buir_, no!"

"Forgive me."

The hatch between the ramp and cockpit slammed shut, magnetically sealed on a four-hour timer as the ship automatically adopted a programmed flight pattern. Xander looked down at the pad, spotting Darth Vader holding the ship in place with the Force, both hands outstretched. His upper lip curled into a snarl, and he encased his body in a cocoon of kinetic energy, diving from the ramp to trigger his jetpack and slam shoulder-first into the Darth. His saber went flying as they both rolled to a stop inside the building, Xander looking briefly to see the _Kandosii_ take off and leave the atmosphere.

…

"_Buir! Buir!"_

Xel was slamming on the rear hatch, looking out of the small viewport to see his father and Vader vanish in a tangle of limbs, the ship starting to increase its altitude. "No. No-no-no…" He rushed to the cockpit and slammed on the stick, on the controls, on anything and everything to undo whatever his father did to the navigational systems. "No, _no_! Nothing's working!" A few flurried, heavy breaths escaped him before he rushed for the armory, yanking a heavy assault cannon off a rack and hefting the heavy weapon as he ran to the hatch, raising it to hip level and firing a half-dozen heavy bolts before realizing that was hazardous to his health.

Given that the exit was magnetically sealed, the bolts just ricocheted around the cabin, one of them nearly tagging him in the back. He dropped the cannon and slammed on the hatch in impotent fury and frustration, angry tears falling from his eyes as he poured out his desperation. The engines of the _Kandosii_ flared up, and he watched the building grow smaller and smaller in the distance until the ramp closed of its own accord, its safety systems responding to the vacuum of space.

No words came as he slumped to the ground. His throat was closed, sealed with the force of his grief.

Buir_…what have you done?_

…

"You fool!"

Xan turned in time for Vader's gloved fist to cave in his nose, knocking him back several feet. The Mando desperately tried to recover, but his opponent was furious. Never before had he felt such blatant, powerful hatred, either as Vader tore tiles off the floor and walls to chuck at his opponent, or as the Dark Lord dashed toward him with a one-handed blow that rendered his x-block useless. In fact, since his left arm was the first appendage impacted, it got the worst of the damage, and he looked in horror as it fell limp at his side, the joint partially reversed. It was then that he stumbled backward, vision blurry and reddened. The saber that had fallen returned to the hand of its master.

Xander clenched his teeth through the pain and continued his limping retreat outside. "You've lost," he hissed. "He will _never_ be yours!" His eyes widened slightly as he realized exactly where he was standing, and although the doorway wasn't nearly as dark as he remembered, he knew very well that visions from the Force were rarely, if ever, crystal clear.

_Snap-hiss._

Xan smirked sardonically. _Guess there's no waking up this time._

"Never is a long time, Mandalorian…like death. Tell me," Vader mocked, "how does it feel to know you're about to die?"

Xander grinned. "There is no death, _shabuir_, there's only the Force." He reached over to his left arm and painfully reversed the joint to the right direction, channeling the Force into the torn muscles and numbing the pain. His gaze returned to Vader. "In this case—" he fell into a ready stance, "I prefer the word 'sacrifice.'" Xander yelled as he sprinted at the Sith, the Force giving him an acceleration no one could match, his body becoming an armored blur in his final charge.

Vader's saber raised.

Xander leapt.

The glowing red shaft found the exact gap that Kell's knife had just hours before, bypassing the armor entirely and plunging through his chest. The smell of burnt flesh filled Xander's nostrils as agony tore through him.

But he kept pushing.

Another step, and Vader was forced closer to the edge of the platform. Invisible fingers closed around Xander's throat, followed by real ones as Vader choked the already ebbing life out of him. Xander bared his teeth and roared into Vader's faceplate as he triggered his jetpack in tandem with a Force Leap, catapulting both of them off the side of the platform into a 4000-foot drop.

The world around him slowed as Xander fell to his death, his grip around Vader's torso ensuring that the Sith would at least feel it. All feeling left him, and his vision grayed, the usual neon and lights of Nar Shaddaa dulling to a dim glow in the presence of what he saw. His eyes widened.

_So…this is what dying is like for Jedi._

A small, sad smile came to his face as they fell from view of the cityscape, his eyes fluttering shut. _I love you, Xel. I always will. Take care, my dear boy…_

…

A sharp, unbearable pain tore through Xel. His eyes bulged, lungs stopped breathing, heart stopped beating. Everything in him halted for just a moment, yet that was all it took to confirm what he knew deep down. His father was dead.

As the ship jumped to hyperspace, all feeling left his body, and the contents of his stomach expelled a moment before he passed out.

* * *

AN: I've decided to switch releases to around 7 AM instead of PM, since my evenings have become so unpredictable.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Republic Commando – Rage of the Shadow Warriors: Pirates vs. Xel vs. Hammer

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap: 10:18-end – "You fool!" to Xander's fall


	6. The Message

A sharp, unbearable pain tore through Xel. His eyes bulged, lungs stopped breathing, heart stopped beating. Everything in him halted for just a moment, yet that was all it took to confirm what he knew deep down. His father was dead.

As the ship jumped to hyperspace, all feeling left his body, and the contents of his stomach expelled a moment before he passed out.

…

4 hours later

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

1 year, 7 months BBY

A pair of dark, troubled eyes fluttered open, only half seeing. A pair of arms pressed back against the cold metal floor weakly, barely lifting the body they were attached to off the ground. The eyes flitted about, their gaze finding an amorphous disruption among the even grate pattern. They widened in disgusted recognition, then closed completely as their owner realized why it was there.

Xel's fists clenched at his sides. _Damn it...damn it..._

"Damn it!"

His left fist slammed into the nearest wall, sending shots of pain up and across his arm. That pain was nothing compared to what was devouring his heart, though. It was as if he had just entered the digestive tract of a sarlacc, the beast's system slowly but surely eating away at him until there was nothing left. He collapsed to his knees yet again, another wave of nausea rushing up his throat until it closed on his command. His clenched fists held back the force of his grief, his shaking legs forced to cooperate and bring him to his feet. One foot fell after the other as he made his way to the cockpit, once again to futilely try and undo whatever his father did to the nav systems.

The moment he dropped into the pilot's seat was the moment the ship dropped out of hyperspace. His eyes widened a bit as he saw the green orb of Mandalore beyond his viewport. Suddenly, the controls were his again...and he had no idea where to go. Something scratched at the back of his head, and he vaguely remembered the assassin currently sitting in his cargo hold. _65K_. He shook his head. _Pointless now._ What was he going to do with the money? Xel was a boy—a _man_ of simple tastes, never one for extravagant purchases. What little he did buy was always geared toward preparing for the next job or getting souvenirs for his friends back home. _Or...gifts for Dad._

He forced himself away from that line of thinking and powered up the sublight engines, flying toward his home on the surface of Mandalore. Xander had long told him that on the offchance anything happened to him, he would always be able to rely on Uncle Teras, and he intended to follow his father's advice to the letter. Ten minutes later, the _Kandosii'tal _touched down on Clan Caden's landing strip, and Xel stepped off the landing ramp, helmet tucked under his arm as a reflex from years of training. He saw the man he was looking for almost immediately, smiling and utterly oblivious to the utter hell Xel was going through.

"Xel! _Verd'ika_, what brings you two back home?"

The younger Caden's eyes met his, locking completely and staying there as they both stared at each other, the smile slowly but surely fading from Teras' face.

"Xel," he started quietly, "what...happened? Where's your father?"

"He's..." Xel's throat slammed shut, and everything started to spin.

His helmet hit the dirt along with his knees a second later. Teras' quick dash forward prevented him from outright faceplanting, the Zabrak's strong arms on his shoulders the only things keeping him up. The boy's head found its way onto Teras' shoulder as the larger man held him close, arms wrapped tightly around his torso. Xel's own limbs rose weakly, his fingers clutching his uncle's shoulder plates with a death grip as his teeth clenched until he couldn't hold back anymore.

So he just cut loose and emptied himself.

When it seemed like his angry tears had finally calmed down, Teras held him at arm's length, brown eyes searching his dark blue ones. "_Ad'ika_...I'm so sorry." His own eyes were glistening. "I know it'll be difficult, but please. Tell me what happened."

...

10 minutes later

Caden residence, Mandalore

Teras listened to the whole account with a carefully schooled, businesslike expression, only ever breaking this facade to lay a comforting hand on his nephew's arm when it looked like he'd break down. Xel knew he was trying to be strong, but this was his brother. Teras had known Xander far longer than him, and likely shared more than a few close scrapes with him. His hands curled into fists subconsciously as he realized that Teras would never have allowed his brother to die like he had, or at all, for that matter.

"Xel, stop."

The boy looked up. "Huh?"

Teras' expression was the same one his father used to correct him. "I know that look, kid. Same one your dad used whenever he was unnecessarily blaming himself, and believe me, that happened a lot."

Xel looked away. "He tackled that monstrosity to save me, so how _else_ am I supposed to feel?"

Teras laid a hand on his. "How about starting with gratitude?"

The boy gave him a sideways look.

"If I were you, Xel, I'd...yes, I'd be heartbroken. Hell, I already am...look, the bottom line is, your dad loved you more than anything in the galaxy." He sighed heavily. "You know you always hear from parents that they'll give their lives for their children, but...how often do you actually see that promise in action? I had hoped you'd never have to, but the fact that you did...Xel, don't you see?"

His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly on the table, his eyes down. "Yes. I see."

They were both silent for a long time. "_Ad'ika_?"

"Hm?"

Teras stood up. "Come with me. There's...something your father left for you. Something he told me to give you if anything happened."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed as he followed his uncle. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see."

The boy followed Teras through one room after the next until they reached Xander's old study. His throat closed as he remembered all the times they'd both spent in this room, especially when he was younger. _Dad...holding me on his lap...reading by the fire._ His eyes closed as a small, sad smile came to his face, tears spilling out of his eyes.

"Xel?"

His eyes snapped open. "Coming."

Teras nodded solemnly and reached over to a wall, pressing on a particular section of it to reveal a false panel. Reaching inside, the Zabrak drew out a small, cubic object and carried it to a nearby table, where they both sat facing the same direction.

"What is it?"

"A datacron, a repository of information or messages. Xander always said it was like his...last will and testament, or some such _osik_." He tapped it a couple of times. "Never could figure out how to work it myself, but maybe that's the point. Maybe it only responds to you."

They exchanged a look before Xel shrugged and reached out, pressing his index to the top, where a section of the cube's surface gave way like a button. Suddenly, the entire cube shifted, its corners spinning to turn the cube into a makeshift holoprojector. A sharp intake of breath preceded the armored picture of a smiling Xander Caden. Xel reached out. _Buir..._

"Hello Xel," the recording greeted. "If you're watching this then...well then I'm dead." His smile faded. "I once promised you that I'd be here as long as you needed me, but if you're hearing this then I've likely broken that promise. I'm so sorry." The hologram closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "I'm sorry that I won't be there to see you take your first steps in the Force, or get married...or be reunited with the rest of our family."

Xel took a quick intake of breath, noting the lack of surprise in Teras' face.

"I had...wanted to tell you in person, but it looks like I never got the chance." Xander's holographic eyes seemed to bore into Xel's. "Your mother is no ordinary woman. We met during the Clone Wars, when I was a mercenary under the Republic. She was my commanding officer, a general in the Grand Army. Xel, she was a Knight of the Jedi Order."

The boy's eyes shot as wide as they could go as he gaped at the message.

"I know that must be a shock for you, but please hear me out. No matter what you hear about the Jedi, and I hope I instill this in you, they never did what the Empire said they did, nor were they all the same. Your mother was special, and not just to me, but to all the men under her command. That's why when Order 66 was carried out, there were enough conscientious objectors to allow us to leave without a fight. Four years later, you were born, along with your older brother. You must think it cruel to have split you two, but trust me when I say there was a reason for it."

Xander scratched his head. "Your…mother would be able to explain this better than me." His eyes became determined as he returned his gaze to Xel's. "Which is why it's high time you two meet. I had hoped to be there for that reunion, but it looks like it wasn't to be. Take the data stick in this datacron and input it into the _Kandosii'tal's_ nav computer. The subroutine will send several pings over a closed channel, which will then in turn be answered by an automated system giving you a set of coordinates. Go to those coordinates. Find Telia. If the circumstances of my death are as I suspect they would be, then you must learn about the other side of your heritage at all costs.

"She'll know what I mean." He smiled sadly. "Tell her…I'm sorry, just as I've told you." His gaze drifted away. "No matter what, Xel, I always want you to remember something. Your choices are yours, and yours alone. Don't _ever_ give up your free will for _any_ reason. I didn't raise my son to be a slave to anyone or anything, and I don't ever want you to relinquish your right to choose to anyone, not even me." He smiled. "Above all, I want you to know just how proud I am of you, how proud I am to be your father. My only regret is not being there to see the kind of man you'll become, but I know that whoever that is, he's going to change the galaxy." Xander smiled wider. "_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum_, Xel."

Xel smiled back, his eyes red and running over, the table below already bearing several fallen drops. "_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Buir._"

"Access granted."

Xel did a double-take as Xander's image faded and the datacron's side panel opened to reveal the data stick mentioned. The boy carefully removed it, holding it up and exchanging a look with his uncle. Xel's eyes narrowed at the look on his face.

"You knew," he accused.

"What?"

"You knew about all this." He motioned to the datacron.

"If you mean I knew about your mother, then yes, but as far as the rest..."

"Define 'the rest.'"

"Look, Xel—"

"Did you know that my father was a Jedi, or that I had a twin brother, or—?"

"All of the above, and your father was _not_ a Jedi, not even close. Xander made me swear not to tell you anything about her _or_ your brother. Said we'd be safer that way."

"Safe from whom?"

"From the Empire!"

"Well..." Xel clenched his teeth. "Well Dad's dead because of them _anyway_, so what good did _that _do?!"

Teras looked away, fists curled. "I—I'm not proud of what we did, but it was all to keep you safe, and you are, Xel. For that reason alone, I know that if he could speak to us, your father wouldn't regret his decision."

"His decision..." Xel broke his stare and looked off into the distance. His look became hard after a moment or two, and he strode determinedly out the door, right toward the _Kandosii_.

"Xel, where are you going? Xel!" Teras ran to catch up to him as he strode up the ramp. "Xel, _ad'ika_, wait a minute—"

The boy spun on his heel and fixed his uncle with a piercing stare.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to see my mother. Alone."

Teras' eyes widened. "Are you crazy? The Empire is looking for you, and if Vader's involved, they'll never stop searching." He put a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Please, your father wouldn't want you to go alone."

"My father wanted me to make my own choices." Xel's eyes narrowed and bore into Teras'. "Well, this is my choice. I'm going alone." His expression softened a bit, and he put his free hand on his uncle's shoulder. "I'll comm. you when I get there and keep you informed. I promise."

Teras swallowed hard, but eventually nodded and stepped off the ramp as Xel entered the ship. The boy closed the hatch behind him and put the data stick into the nav computer. As expected, a program ran through the ship's systems, sending several pings over high-frequency channels. A mere five minutes returned a set of coordinates. When input into the galaxy map, the digits pointed to one particular planet: Obroa-skai. _Guess I'm headed to the Inner Rim then._ The _Kandosii'tal _rose from the plains of Mandalore, leaving Teras and the Caden settlement behind. For all he knew, Xel was saying goodbye for good, and that suited him just fine. After feeling what he felt in Xander's study, he wasn't sure he could face that home again.

At the same time, though, the ship itself carried just as much, if not more, in the way of potentially painful memories, yet it didn't make him feel that way. If anything, between the familiar smell of metal, the constant hum of the engines, and the _beskar'gam_ he always kept here, Xel felt at peace, comforted. Here, he was free to choose his own path and destination, free from the shackles of atmosphere or gravity. Yes, life as a space nomad certainly had its advantages. No matter what happened to you, no matter what memories were forged that cut scars into your mind and soul, you could always start anew somewhere else. A series of bangs from the posterior of the ship prompted rolling of the eyes, and Xel programmed a side stop before making the jump to hyperspace.

...

Durga's Palace, Nal Hutta

Xel strode through the front door of Durga's throne room in full armor, hand clenched around Kell Hammer's intact arm. Even from this distance, without any magnification, the hunter could see his Hutt patron's fat eyebrows raise at the condition of his former employee. Hammer was bruised and battered, his face barely recognizable. His right arm was in a rough sling and his left leg in a makeshift splint. Xel was sure Durga had never expected this to happen, so allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction at the shock on the Hutt's face.

"One traitorous accountant, as ordered." He shoved Hammer to his knees in front of Durga's dais, and the Hutt stared at him for a few moments before giving his response.

"You're alone."

"And?"

"What became of your partner?"

"Bit irrelevant, don't you think? I brought you the bounty, and we had a deal."

Durga laughed. "So we did."

Xel's eyes narrowed within his helmet.

"I received word from my contacts on the Smuggler's Moon indicating that the Empire had a small strike force sent to the surface. Would you know anything about that?"

Xel crossed his arms. "You don't pay me to know. You pay me to get results." He waved at Hammer's prone body. "Results."

Durga's lips curved into a smile. "As you wish, Mando." He waved to his major domo, who stepped forward with a heavy briefcase.

Xel moved toward him and took the handle, laying it on a nearby table and opening it to reveal over six layers of stacked credit chips.

"Sixty-five thousand, as promised." Durga chuckled. "Don't spend it all in one place."

"I wouldn't worry about that." Xel closed the case. "Mandos aren't known for being heavy spenders." He waved at Kell. "Enjoy your present, Lord Durga." Without another word, Xel strode from the throne room, making the long trek back to his ship. _His_ ship.

...

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"Above all, I want you to know just how proud I am of you, how proud I am to be your father. My only regret is not being there to see the kind of man you'll become, but I know that whoever that is, he's going to change the galaxy._ Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum_, Xel."

Xel hit the "replay" button for the fourth time since the jump to hyperspace, absently listening and more focusing on the last vision of his father that was contained in the datacron's message. He took a deep breath and released it, wiping his hand over his face. _Still can't believe he's gone._ Xel looked over at the medical berth in the next room, the last place he'd seen his father smile, and felt his eyes prick with tears. He did a double-take as he saw something else, rising from his seat to move into the makeshift med bay.

His jaw dropped. On the table next to Xander's berth lay his Mandalorian crushgaunts and _beskar_ knife. Xel picked up the latter, slipping it from its sheath and giving it a few experimental swings. It was a little heavier than his durasteel knife and a good two inches longer, razor-sharp on the entirety of one edge and of the same sharpness about a fifth of the way from the tip on the back. There was a small ring on the upper front of the knife's handle, and Xel put his finger through it, lightly snapping his wrist in one direction and watching as the ring served as a pivot point for the knife, allowing it to spin forward or backward.

He smiled slightly and returned the weapon to its sheath, noting that his own knife was gone. He blinked twice and sighed, looking at the crushgaunts as well and narrowing his eyes. Had he known? Had Xander known he was going to die? Whether he had or not, Xel resolved to keep using both items, to keep a part of his father with him. _You said you couldn't keep your promise because you're dead, but that's not true._ He slipped his own gloves off and pulled the crushgaunts on, curling and uncurling his fingers to get a feel for them. He reached over and strapped the knife to the right side of his belt, where his durasteel blade once sat, and drew it underhandedly, the front edge angled forward.

_ As long as these are with me, you will be too._ He sheathed the knife. Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum_._ _I'm still alive, but you're dead. I remember you, so you are eternal._ His eyes closed as he breathed in deeply. _Join with the _Manda_, _Buir_. I'll take it from here._

...

Obroa-skai

An hour after landing on the terrestrial world, Xel had managed to find the location specified by the coordinates, tracing it to a relatively remote settlement in the low mountains. As he got closer, his datapad, which held the data stick from the datacron, started to flicker. New data streamed across the screen, and more specific directions were presented. He made his way to a two-story house on the peak of a hill, the front door on a level section of the plateau, two long walls running parallel to each other and pointing to the door. The walls stretched out about 20 feet, where they turned at 90 degree angles and kept going around the settlement's modest but spacious grounds.

He marched up to the door, tucking the datapad into the back of his belt and raising his right hand to the bell. His index hesitated over the button. _If I do this, there's no going back._ His finger moved forward with certainty. A half-minute passed and uneasiness settled into his gut. He turned away, not wanting to look as expectant as he was, and folded his hands together behind his back. As the possibility of leaving occurred to him, Xel heard the door click open behind him and turned around halfway before he heard a familiar and disturbing sound.

_Snap-hiss._

Before he even registered the emerald shaft that lit up the night, he leapt six feet away from the door, dive-rolling and spinning toward the entrance, drawing his pistols as he rose. With adrenaline cramming into his system, everything slowed to a near-stop, allowing him to take a good look at who was holding the lightsaber. The weapon's pale green glow cast deep shadows over the face of its owner, the shorter figure wearing a hooded cloak that completely masked their features. All he could see was the glint of the lightsaber's reflection in this person's eyes, as well as the way they widened a few moments later.

"Xander?" a female voice asked.

Xel's heart skipped a beat, and he slowly lowered his pistols as she did the same with her saber, one being holstered as he pulled off his helmet with one arm. "Not...exactly."

The pair looked at each other for a long time, the hooded figure deactivating her weapon as she gaped at him and stepped forward slowly, one hand reaching up and pulling back the hood. "Xel?" The saber was clipped to her belt absently as she continued to approach, the boy suddenly feeling at ease and holstering his other pistol without a word. She reached up and laid a gentle hand on his cheek. "My boy," she breathed out.

His eyes fluttered closed, and a small, shuddering breath escaped him as an unimaginable feeling of peace washed over him.

"My boy." She threw her arms around him, and he instantly returned the action, holding her tightly. She laughed softly, tears streaming down her face. "My dear boy."

The small, delicate fingers she stroked through his hair felt so familiar, and he was instantly certain that they weren't separated at birth. His mind may not have known this woman, but his heart and soul did.

Slowly but surely, she pulled away, cupping his face with her hands and holding him at arm's length. "Xel...you've grown so much."

"Your name...it's..." He scrunched his eyes together hard, trying desperately to remember something that was scratching at the back of his mind. The blue orbs snapped open. "Telia. Telia Li-am."

Telia beamed at her son. "That's right." She looked over his shoulder, eyes darting side to side, searching. "You're alone?" Her gaze returned to his. "Where's your father?"

His face fell instantly, and he looked away.

"Xel, where is Xander?"

"He's...gone."

All the breath left her, and she bit her lower lip hard, stifling the shriek that threatened to erupt. After a few moments and calling on the Force to calm herself, Telia gripped Xel's armored shoulders and nudged him toward the door. "Come inside, please."

Xel nodded numbly, noting the gentle light from a fireplace on the other side of the rather spacious entrance. The house screamed of wood architecture, giving it a very antique yet homey feel as he entered. One good look and he knew that was the exact effect intended. Like her, it was...calming, peaceful. Guilt still nagged at him as she closed the door, and he spun to face her. "Telia, I—"

"It's not your fault, Xel." She avoided his gaze, curling a lock of brown hair around her finger. "We...we knew something like this could happen someday. It was always possible, likely even." She let out another sharp breath, shaking her head slightly to ward off her tumultuous emotions. Telia forced a smile onto her face. "My boy's home, at long last. That's all that's important right now." She motioned to a chair by the fire. "Have a seat, please. I'll be right back."

He gulped and nodded, complying and laying his helmet down on a nearby table before leaning his elbows on his knees, chin braced on his intertwined fingers. His eyes watched the fire dance, casting dim shadows and red light over his face. Before he knew it, his eyes grew heavy with the mesmerizing sight and drooped completely until his body followed. A warm, gentle hand on his shoulder woke him. His body usually made him scream at such disturbances when he was this tired, but not this time. This time he just looked up at the source drowsily and rose at its prompting, following her lead to another room on the second floor, where he numbly stripped off his armor and fell onto a cushioned substance, passing out almost instantly.

...

_I can't believe it._ They said seeing was believing, yet Telia had seen for the last twenty minutes and still couldn't believe it. All those lessons from Master Yoda about the tricks of the eyes came rushing back to her, but as she stretched out to see him in the Force as well, there was no denying that he was unquestionably hers. Although it was much fainter than that of his brother, Xel's Force Bond was still very much present, and although she couldn't tell whether it had been formed at infancy or in the last half hour, it was there, and she wasn't sure it mattered. A soft hand stroked through his helmet-tousled, jet-black hair, smoothing it all out as he unconsciously snuggled closer to the touch.

Telia smiled gently. There was so much she wanted to tell him, to learn from him, so much she wanted to talk to him about, yet she was perfectly content to just watch him sleep. _I missed the first thirteen years of his life._ Her smile faded. _It's time to start with the little things._ Reaching out to him across their Bond, Telia couldn't help but wince at the pain radiating across it, yet another melancholy reminder of her husband's passing. Her eyes slammed shut and every fiber of her being channeled her Jedi training to keep from breaking down. She focused on Xel, on calming his troubled mind and heart, and slowly, bit by bit, he relaxed, whatever troubled dreams he was having fading away.

Telia withdrew from their Bond and his new room, closing the door and walking down the hall to check on her other son, his gentle snores no more than a small rumble. She smirked. _Always early to bed._ Her head shook slowly. _Some things don't change._ She stretched out to the Force, touching both their Bonds before finding a third that ended all too abruptly. Walking into her room, she completely closed herself off from anything and everything else, shielding herself in the Force so no one, not even her oldest son, could feel anything from her.

And she poured out her grief to the silent walls.

* * *

AN: Since the next chapter is really short, I'll be releasing it tomorrow, then we'll be back to Thursday releases next week.


	7. Answers

Telia withdrew from their Bond and his new room, closing the door and walking down the hall to check on her other son, his gentle snores no more than a small rumble. She smirked. _Always early to bed._ Her head shook slowly. _Some things don't change._ She stretched out to the Force, touching both their bonds before finding a third that ended all too abruptly. Walking into her room, she completely closed herself off from anything and everything else, shielding herself in the Force so no one, not even her oldest son, could feel anything from her.

And she poured out her grief to the silent walls.

...

Next morning

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 7 months BBY

Warmth. Softness. Peace. Really, Xel could get used to this bed. _If only Dad had gotten this thing sooner..._ His eyes snapped open and darted around. The room was unfamiliar, neither in the _Kandosii'tal_ nor their house on Mandalore. And then the truth dawned on him for the second morning in a row. Strangely enough, he no longer felt like crying. The pain had fallen to a dull ache. It was...tolerable. The boy laid back down, his eyes open as he contemplated the meaning of this. Another ten minutes passed before he shook himself off and rather painfully extracted himself from those comforters.

He really could get used to that bed.

His feet planted on the ground before he realized he was still in his full-body undersuit. His eyes scanned the bedroom and alighted on his armor plates, stacked in a rather haphazard manner instead of his usual neatness, and he concluded that something truly taxing must have happened the day before. _You just found out your dad was dead and mother is a Jedi, dummy. Why wouldn't that be exhausting?_ He shook his head and his thoughts, striding toward the stack and pulling on his flight suit and boots before moving toward the exit.

His eyes widened before closing as his nostrils flared with deep inhalation. _What in _shab_ is that?_ Whatever it was, both his nose and empty stomach were going crazy in anticipation, and he bolted for the stairs immediately. His feet skipped them three at a time, landing him on the ground floor in a matter of seconds and catapulting him toward the source of the smell. He came into sight of the kitchen and stopped in his tracks.

There was his mother, who he hadn't really gotten a good look at last night, shuffling around the spacious room, managing appliances and dishes with pristine skill. He silently approached the entrance, leaning against the doorframe, and nearly jumped out of his skin when the cupboard to his left opened of its own accord, sending a container of something flying toward her waiting hand.

"You know, it's not really possible to sneak up on a Jedi."

He blinked. "I figured." He took a few steps forward, leaning sideways against an unoccupied counter.

She turned to him with one of the warmest smiles he'd ever seen, and he couldn't help but return it. The woman, who had to be pushing forty if not later, had kept her age well. Her five-eleven body had been kept in perfect order, and her dirty blonde hair was done up in a complex series of braids all twisted together into a ponytail. Her eyes, dark brown and narrow, seemed to carry with them years of experience and hardship yet keep the warm qualities that immediately made him want to trust her last night.

He let out a sigh and pushed himself back up onto the counter. "So…what's the game plan for today?"

She turned back to her work, absently waving a hand to command a pan to adjust on the stove. "That, young one, is up to you. I would suggest moving whatever you need from your ship…and maybe the ship itself."

Xel nodded. "Right." He pushed himself off and walked toward the stairs.

"Xel."

He stopped and turned to her.

She fidgeted nervously for a second or two. "I'm…I'm glad you're here."

He smiled softly. "Me too."

…

_He has so many questions._ Telia's vibroknife cut straight through the nerf meat, filleting it neatly before tossing the cut onto its waiting pan. She leaned on her hands, putting her weight on the counter and thinking hard. _How do I tell him? How do I break the news?_ Her son was every bit as strong as his father, perhaps not in body, but definitely in will. _And in the Force._ Though Xel wasn't accessing it, he was still radiating with the same raw power his father had. If cultivated, he would be a powerful practitioner.

"Right then," Xel called before leaping the last four steps to the ground, now fully armored. "I'm off. See you in twenty."

She nodded to him and gave a tight smile. "Be careful."

He smiled back. "Always am."

The moment the door shut behind him, she let out a long breath. Another set of steps reverberated at the top of the stairs, heralding the arrival of a five-eleven boy with brown hair and eyes of the brightest ice blue she'd ever seen.

"As always, you take forever to get out of the 'fresher."

He grinned at her. "What can I say? I like to look my best."

She raised an eyebrow at a rogue cluster of hair that made his whole style look lopsided.

Alen weaved his fingers through his nearly shoulder-length hair, fixing the locks and making himself look presentable. He leaned against an empty counter, arms crossed. "So."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "So?"

"Is there a reason I felt someone else in this house?"

...

30 minutes later

_Miserable _shabuire_. _Xel strung off a half-dozen Mando'a curse words in his head, only grumbling on the outside as he went through the front door of his new home. The docking authority had given him grief about taking off and parking elsewhere in-atmosphere, insisting the need to clear it with the local Imperial authorities. That is, until Xel dropped a nice stack of credits in his empty palm and told him it was Mandalorian business. Somehow, and he wasn't sure how, that managed to shut him up. As if that wasn't enough, a group of mercs had tried pestered him into joining their crew until he flipped his knife and told them in no uncertain terms to _usen'ye_.

When he finally found a proper spot to land, he already felt exhausted. What his eyes saw upon coming through the door was potentially just as taxing. The man—the boy standing in front of him turned about, revealing a facial structure eerily similar to Telia's. Xel's eyes widened.

"Xel Caden," Telia said as she strode into the room, "meet your brother, Alen Li-am."

Xel sized him up for a few moments before extending his hand.

"It's good to finally meet you," his brother said.

The other boy's eyes narrowed to slits and looked sideways at Telia, who seemed a little tenser than she had a few moments ago. "Finally?" He looked from one to the other. "How long did he know?"

Telia and Alen exchanged a wary look before she looked down and the latter answered. "Since I was…what was it, eight?"

Xel's eyes went wide, and both Jedi gulped at the flurry of emotions that flowed through him. Xel turned away with purpose, his breathing becoming labored as his hands clenched into fists. _He didn't tell me…_ Tension filled him until Alen bravely put a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

Xel scowled. "He didn't tell me…until two months ago."

Both of them let out slight gasps.

"He didn't _shabla_ tell me."

"Well," Alen said softly with a smile, "you know now."

"No sense griping about the past," Xel responded quietly, more to himself than his brother. _How many times did Dad tell me that?_

Alen smiled wider. "Right." He gave Xel's shoulder a firm pat, striding toward the kitchen, where his brother's stomach reminded him breakfast was waiting.

Xel didn't miss the relieved smile on Telia's face as he passed. A few minutes later, he and the other two were seated around a round table near the fireplace, the silence only interrupted by the intermittent crackling of flames. A long breath left the boy's body as he savored the first piece of nerf steak. "_Shab_ that's good," he breathed out with satisfaction. "Think I finally know who taught Dad how to cook."

"She's always like this," Alen added almost poutingly. "Always with the gourmet cuisine."

"I don't ever hear you complaining," Telia chided.

He gave her a toothy grin, intentionally showing a steak piece stuck between his teeth as she rolled her eyes and Xel chuckled. "I guess I have less appreciation for it now, considering I've been eating it all my life."

"I don't know," Xel cut in, "I'm not sure I could ever get used to eating like this."

"Thought you said Dad cooked like this."

"Yeah, when he actually _did_ cook, which wasn't often."

"Food rations?" Telia asked. "Seriously?"

Xel smiled. "He always told me that any good soldier needs to learn to eat anything. Never know what you're gonna have on the battlefield, after all."

"Ugh, I can remember what he brought in on Tibrin." She gave out a shudder.

Alen laughed with his mouth full, stopping when something unexpectedly lodged in his throat and sputtering several times, half laughing, half choking. Xel couldn't hold himself from laughter even as he smacked Alen's back—hard. The blockage was cleared and Alen gave his brother a thumbs-up as they returned to their meals.

…

Telia smiled gently, still more than unsettled by Xel's extreme reaction earlier. She gave an involuntary shudder at the memory. Alen may not have felt it, but she did, and with all that anger…his Force aura was more powerful than any she'd felt in a long time, and he wasn't even accessing it. One thing was for sure. This kid needed guidance and training. He needed to learn his Jedi heritage. If he didn't…she didn't even want to think about that possibility.

…

"So," Xel said when he finally wiped his plate clean, "I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions, and I'd like them answered _immediately_."

Telia's lips tightened. "Fair enough. Ask away."

Xel licked his lips, taking a few breaths as he pondered his first query. "Why—?"

"Why were we separated?"

He closed his mouth and nodded slowly.

She sighed and slid her chair next to his, taking her hands in his. "You…and your brother…when you were born, it was the happiest day of my life. Of _both_ our lives." She hesitated. "Okay…first off, it wasn't your father's idea. It was mine."

Xel's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

Telia held his hands tightly. "Believe me, letting the both of you go was the hardest thing I've ever done, but it _had_ to be done. When you were born, your father and I felt your existence in the Force, but it was more than just existence, it was…presence." She glanced up to see his confusion. "You were both heavily Force-sensitive, and we knew it. As you would grow, so would your presence, your signature in the Force."

"So?"

"So the Empire looks for such signatures," Alen cut in.

"Exactly," his mother confirmed. "We knew that if the Empire ever discovered your existence, they would hunt us to the end of the galaxy."

"So you split us up to reduce concentration."

She nodded.

Xel looked away and was silent a long time. His right fist and teeth clenched. "I understand. Doesn't mean I like it, but I understand." He met her gaze again. "How did the Empire find us then?"

"Whenever you use the Force, your presence is more apparent. Even if you try to hide yourself, using Force-related abilities gives you away."

"But I never even knew I _could_."

"So, more than likely, it was your father who accidentally tipped them off."

Xel looked down and away until he felt another hand on his shoulder.

"That doesn't mean you won't eventually become strong enough to cast a shadow. You need to learn how to hide yourself in the Force, like we can."

He nodded numbly. "I know." A long silence passed before he locked gazes with her. "So when do we start?"


	8. Training, Part I

"So, more than likely, it was your father who accidentally tipped them off."

Xel looked down and away until he felt another hand on his shoulder.

"That doesn't mean you won't eventually become strong enough to cast a shadow. You need to learn how to hide yourself in the Force, like we can."

He nodded numbly. "I know." A long silence passed before he locked gazes with her. "So when do we start?"

…

Next morning

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 7 months BBY

Xel watched in rapt attention as Telia lifted a cube-like device in front of her.

"This," she explained, "is a Jedi holocron, a repository of information that is given or held back by the holocron's guardian based on the student's knowledge, power, and motivation. I have two total, one that involves knowledge of the lightsaber, the other knowledge of the Force."

"Something tells me neither was easy to come by."

Telia smirked. "Well, one I had on me when Order 66 was issued, the other I found here, in an abandoned Jedi Academy, before the Empire rolled in and destroyed it all. The possibility that they might have missed something was my primary reason for settling here with Alen."

He nodded. "Makes sense. You're not worried that the Imperial presence here might put you at risk?"

"Why do you think we're all the way up here in the mountains? Besides, if someone who could pick up our signatures were here, we'd have sensed him."

"Gotcha. So…how does this work, exactly?"

She sighed. "Normally, we'd begin with youngling initiations. The holocron would run you through the Jedi Code, basics of accessing your Force Sense…" She suppressed a smile at Xel's steadily raising eyebrows. "But I can see you're a busy man, so I'll teach you to do the latter. Come."

He trailed behind his mother as she strode to the back door, opening it and letting in a burst of cold mountain air. Telia had insisted that he not wear his armor during training, so he borrowed one of Alen's robes. _Speaking of, where is he?_ Telia had told him Alen was always early to bed and early to rise, so he was probably either taking a walk somewhere or meditating in his room. _Can't for the life of me figure out how someone could just…sit there for hours on end._

"It helps him focus his Force," Telia said.

Xel's face scrunched up for a few seconds before his eyes turned to discs. "Did you just—?"

"Read your thoughts? Yes."

His face went completely red.

She laughed warmly. "Relax, I don't do it all the time, and I didn't really mean to just now. You just don't know how to block me yet, so you're easy to read."

"Oh," he said quietly, still a bit disturbed. The idea of someone sifting through his thoughts was…unsettling, to say the least.

"Trust me, it could be worse."

He glared.

She smirked.

It was then that he noticed how badly he was shivering, while she wasn't even batting an eyelash at the cold. He shook his head. "Figures."

"I know how to shield myself in the Force. Sit." She sat on her knees, and he sluggishly followed suit. "Close your eyes and clear your mind."

His eyes shut as he sighed.

"I said _clear_ your mind, not use it to gripe."

He rolled his eyes internally. "I can't just stop thinking."

"No, you can focus on just one thing, yourself, and specifically the itch at the back of your mind. I know it's there, even if you don't think you can feel it."

Xel focused hard, using his training as a Mando and closing himself off from everything except what he wanted. The cold stopped biting. Distractions ceased. The wind's howling stilled to a dull hum in his ears. A small whisper reached his consciousness.

_"Do you feel it?"_

_"Yes," _he responded on instinct.

_"Probe it, then. Pull on it. Coax it out."_

Not quite sure what she meant, Xel just kept focusing on the "itch," as she called it, getting a better feel for it, memorizing every detail until more started to be revealed. Then he felt that out too. This continued for a long time, until he could feel a long cord unraveling in his mind, sliding between his mental fingers. It was so strange, yet so familiar.

_"It is the Force you feel. You know it as instinct."_

_ "What do you mean?"_

_ "Have you ever wondered why you were so quick to grasp new concepts or techniques? How your reflexes and form have always been top notch? You've been subconsciously using the Force your whole life, to a very small and enhancing degree, instead of directly manipulating it."_

_ "So what do I do now?"_

_ "Now? Nothing. Practice getting to where you are now. Practice focusing on that place. Feel it, embrace it."_

Xel took a deep breath, then opened his eyes, bringing the world back into focus. His mother did the same, and the two exchanged a glance. She nodded to him, and he closed his eyes again, calling on his training and focusing to get to that point.

Telia smiled when he did. _"Very good, son. You learn quickly."_

"I have a good teacher," he said aloud, opening his eyes and smiling back. "So what's next?"

…

2 weeks later

"Focus, Xel."

"I _am_ focusing." Sweat streamed down his face as he held a hand up, concentrating on moving the cup two feet away from him.

Telia let out an exasperated sigh. "Look. Stop." She grabbed his arm. "Manipulating the Force isn't like firing a blaster or throwing a punch. The limb is just a focusing tool. A skilled Force user should be able to perform minor telekinetic manipulations like this without lifting a finger. Your mind—" she tapped his forehead, "—is your true source of power. Use it."

Xel raised an eyebrow and chewed on his lip impatiently, then focused once again, concentrating on clearing his mind and moving the cup, even just a little. After another ten seconds of no action, he sighed in frustration and closed his eyes, staying completely immobile and visualizing the cup, every ridge and facet, moving sideways across the table. He focused on that vision more and more, letting it completely fill his consciousness and mind's eye until he believed it was reality, then he touched the Force. A small, slight grinding sound reached his ears, and he smiled as he opened his eyes, watching as the ceramic vessel moved at his will. When it stopped, and he turned to the side, Telia was beaming at him, as was Alen, who was doing pull-ups by the dozen.

"You see?" she asked. "See how easy that was?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Not really. Took a lot of visualizing. A little _too_ much for my taste."

"No," she corrected, "it took _believing_. If you don't believe in the power you wield, you'll fail at whatever you try to do, every time. All the time, I tell you to use your mind, but maybe that's a little misleading. It isn't the mind that uses the Force, it's the heart. Feel, don't think. Or, at least, don't think too hard." She let the lesson sink in for a few moments, then reached behind her to grab a handful of sand from a nearby bowl. "Let's try something a little different. I want you to move the cup again, but this time with a bit of a distraction." A quarter of the sand levitated from her hand and twirled in the air, twisting and turning in helix-like patterns. She nodded toward the cup.

Xel breathed out hard, knowing what she had in mind, and focused on that feeling of certainty once again, touching the Force and raising his hand to the cup, which started to move in the other direction. Just then, a sheet of sand obscured his vision, some of the particles stinging his eyes. He swatted at the storm with one hand, his concentration breaking at the annoyance and cup moving to a stop. His teeth clenched as he realized just how difficult this would be, and he reached out again as the sand approached. His eyes closed to remove that vulnerability. He didn't need them anyway. A dense cluster of sand flew near his nostrils, some of the particles flying in with an intake of breath and choking him. The cup stopped yet again.

"_Haar'chak_," he muttered.

"Language," Telia chided.

Xel's eyes rolled. He focused on the cup again, repeating the same cycle of attempt and failure for another ten minutes before throwing his hands up.

"How _exactly_ do you do this?" he asked, exasperated. "I mean, I've heard stories of Jedi fighting in the middle of sandstorms, doing _osik_ like this, and I figured it'd be a hell of a lot easier than this."

"The Jedi who are—were sent on those kinds of missions were Knights with years of training. You've barely had two weeks. Give it time, Xel, and work through your frustration. Don't let it get the better of you."

He sighed heavily. "Yes, _buir_."

…

Telia smiled to herself. Buir. _He called me _buir. Her smile widened as she reflected on it. In Mando'a, words were never by nature gender-specific, so the word for "father" was also the word for "mother." It was the first time he had called her that. Sure, he'd said "mother," or even "Mom," but never in Mando'a, and never with that tone of affection. As she sent another flight of sand past his head, she giggled a little, only partially annoyed that he was now swatting at the sand and acting mock outraged as he chased the cluster around the room, completely forgetting his task as his family looked on, the sand dropping to the ground a few moments later as both Telia and Alen doubled over with laughter.

With a few hearty laughs of his own, Xel waved his hand, sending the cup flying across the wide open space, right toward Alen, who ducked and spun as it careened into a wall, shattering on contact. He cringed, but was still grinning as he turned back to them, the same expressions on their faces.

"Oops."

…

1 week later

"Clear your mind."

Xel huffed, anger rising, as he breathed deeply once again, lifting the cylinder in his hands and staring at the white-and-red orb floating in front of him. His thumb lifted off the cylinder only to depress a small, round button near its top, sending a sapphire blade shooting from its sharply angled tip. He focused in the Force yet again, trying desperately to feel once again the tiny push that had put him on a roll with this _shabla_ device. Xel was no stranger to pain during training, but the sharp stings this remote delivered dealt more psychological damage than physical. His frustration was rising with every passing second, and Telia knew it. Xel's instincts told him she would stop this element of his training if he didn't improve soon, and he desperately didn't want that.

Xel raised his brother's lightsaber to a two-handed ready stance, and Telia motioned with her hand, activating the remote and sending it circling around her son. Xel turned with it, his eyes watching its every twitch, memorizing its structure as he waited for its inevitable attack. Telia sighed to herself. He was missing the point of the exercise. To demonstrate this, she silently activated another remote and used the Force to guide it directly behind him. A sharp zap tagged Xel in the back, and he yelped as he spun toward the new threat, leaving himself exposed to the original remote.

The two remotes laid down a nearly constant pattern of shots, only a few every dozen deflected by the boy, who dove over a nearby couch for cover. Rolling her eyes again, Telia sent the remotes to pursue him, sending him groaning and yelping across the room. It would've been funny if she couldn't feel the emotions rolling off him in waves, turning from frustration to outright anger. Xel swung the saber wildly, batting one bolt after the next, but letting through as many as he stopped until Alen's lightsaber became a blur of interlocking spins. Telia's eyes widened as the blue light trail left behind by the blade practically eclipsed Xel's body, effectively putting a wall of light between him and the remotes.

A few seconds later, she powered down the remotes and watched as her son, heaving and scowling, closed down the saber, huffing past her and tossing the saber onto a nearby table.

"Xel, wait."

He stopped mid-stride.

"Where did you learn that move?"

He turned his head toward her. "What move?"

"That…disc defense. At the end."

He looked away for a moment before shrugging. "I didn't. It was just instinct. Instinct and calculation. I figured if I can't be precise with my deflection, I could just put up a wall."

She nodded slowly. "Then you just dipped into a Soresu technique without realizing it. It's called Circle of Shelter."

He shrugged noncommittally and started to walk away again. "Whatever."

Telia exhaled slowly and followed him. "Look, Xel, I powered up that second remote to prove a point. You weren't focusing in the Force, otherwise you'd have sensed that attack coming from behind. You need to learn to calm your mind, even in the heat of a fight, or one day you'll find yourself on the wrong end of a blaster bolt."

He spun toward her. "And what if I can't calm my mind? What if I don't care about your damned serenity? I don't _want_ to be a Jedi, I never have, and yet that's _exactly_ what you're trying to make me into." They were both silent for a while. "Tell me something. Is this the way you trained Dad, when you first learned he was Force-sensitive?"

"I—" she started, hesitating and downcasting her eyes. "No. It wasn't." She exhaled hard, slumping into a nearby chair. "I'm sorry, Xel. I'm trying. I really am."

A little of his hardness melted at her tone, and he leaned against the wall next to her. "I know." He pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I'm sorry too. I know I'm not the easiest student—or person—to deal with all the time. It's just…_shab_, I don't know. I think…I think I need some air."

Telia didn't respond, only watched him as he went for the backdoor, catching a glimpse of a second figure in brown robes following him out.

…

Xel ran his fingers through his near-shoulder length hair, the loose black locks cast about in the mountain wind as he tried to clear his head. He no longer minded the cold, having learned how to channel the Force into his body to sustain himself in it, at least for a while. He didn't this time, though. He needed the wind to cool his frayed nerves, and at the moment, it was doing an okay job.

"Hey."

He spun toward the source of the voice, clenching his teeth involuntarily. "Sorry, _vod_, but if you're looking for conversation, I'm afraid you're in bad company."

"I wasn't," Alen replied, striding over to him and standing a few feet away, looking out onto the horizon and setting sun.

While Alen was distracted, Xel examined his brother. At moments like this, the older boy was the picture of serenity, the essence of a stoic Jedi. At others…not so much. Pondering this, Xel realized just how little he knew about the kid, and cursed himself for putting training above family. Before Xander had died, he would never have done such a thing.

"Hey," Xel said, disrupting Alen's perusal. "I…" His voice trailed off as Alen looked at him expectantly. _Damn it. Why is this so difficult?_ "Look, I don't think we got off on the right foot."

"Well, we didn't get off on the wrong one, either."

Xel shrugged. "Maybe not, but…we're family." He hesitated a moment before shaking his head. "Look, we don't know each other. We haven't for the last thirteen years." He outstretched his hand. "I'd like to rectify that."

Alen smiled and shook it. "Done. Just answer me one thing. If you don't want to be a Jedi, why are you learning about the Force? Or how to fight with a lightsaber, for that matter?"

"Well, like Mom said, I need to learn to hide myself from the Empire. Apart from that, the Force is another tool I can add to my belt, and in my business, that's always a good thing. As for the lightsaber stuff…" He crossed his arms. "Well, who says they're just for _jetiise_?"

Alen raised an eyebrow. "Fair enough." They were both silent a while, trying to think of anything to say.

"Look, can we just agree off the bat that this is an awkward situation?"

"I—think that would be appropriate, yes."

"Okay then." More silence.

"So," Alen said finally, "have you accessed the holocron on saber wielding yet? I mean, no offense, but it's pretty clear you're having some trouble."

"Well…no. I rarely access any of the holocrons. Damn guardians don't like my personality, apparently."

Alen smiled a little. "Don't worry, they'll get used to you. I definitely have."

"Well, you haven't had to spend training time around me. Not proud of it, but I've definitely noticed that I turn into a _shabla_ rancor when I'm in training, especially if I just can't get something."

"Hm." Alen stood in thought for a while. "Well, we could access it together. Something tells me the guardian'll respond differently if it's talkin' to a _group_ of students as opposed to just one."

"Maybe," Xel said thoughtfully. "But not right now."

He arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Why not?"

The young Mando nodded toward the horizon, and his Jedi brother shifted his gaze only to widen it as he saw what Xel did.

"Oh," he breathed out, unable to say more, as the setting sun cast a gorgeous pattern of colors across the evening sky. They watched it together, perfectly content to stand in silence until night reigned.

…

"Welcome, Initiate, Padawan." The saber holocron guardian, a balding Jedi, nodded to each of them in turn, standing at ease as he awaited their query.

"Sir," Alen said, "we'd like to know about the Seven Forms."

The hologram nodded, raising his right hand to project several images depicting silhouettes in various positions, most of them holding some form of lightsaber. "Is there any particular entry you wish to hear first?"

Alen gave his brother a look. "Well, Xel here used a Soresu technique without even realizing it, so let's start there, see if it's a good fit for him."

"As you wish. Soresu, Form III." Several silhouette images came up depicting a Jedi fending off multiple armed opponents. "Developed in response to the mass usage of blaster weapons, Soresu revolves around the deflection and reflection of blaster bolts, and relies heavily on Force Sense to guide one's lightsaber in combat. It is perhaps the most solidly defensive style in the Seven Forms."

Alen suppressed a snicker at Xel's cringe. "Not you?"

"_So_ not me," Xel confirmed.

"Okay then, give us the rundown of the rest."

"Form I: Shii-Cho." Two duelists were projected. "The most ancient and basic form of lightsaber combat known to the Jedi, Shii-Cho is geared toward the disarmament of one's opponent through large, sweeping motions designed to distract and throw one's opponent off-balance. Shii-Cho favors aggressive action over passive counters."

"That's what you're learning now with the remotes," Alen added.

Xel nodded before motioning for the guardian to continue.

"Form II: Makashi." To duelists appeared once again, this time with one of them holding his saber in a one-handed fencing grip. "Designed as a counter to Shii-Cho, Makashi relies on precise strikes and firm defense to prevent being disarmed and assure exploitation of any weaknesses in the opponent's defenses. In recent memory, only a few have managed to master this form, as the sheer amount of control one must have is quite substantial. This has, unfortunately, led some to believe that Makashi is a 'dead' style."

Alen nudged his brother. "That's _my_ style."

Xel raised an eyebrow.

"Form IV: Ataru," the hologram continued, showing images of Jedi performing intense acrobatic feats in the middle of combat. "Heavily acrobatic, Ataru practitioners use the Force to enhance their vertical movements and keep opponents guessing by constantly jumping around them and raining quick strikes from all directions. As one might expect, this has clear advantages over sluggish or overly concentrated opponents, but often leaves the practitioner open to Force attacks.

"Form V is a branched Form, with two tiers, Shien and Djem So." The silhouettes projected this time were of both blaster and saber-wielding opponents, one saber-wielder focused on in particular. "Shien utilizes elements of both Soresu and Makashi to defend against multiple opponents with both blasters and sabers while keeping the user receptive to opportunities for counterattack. Allowing a Jedi to fend off attacks from all sides is useful for crowd control, especially in war zones. This trait made Form V especially useful during the Clone Wars, although most Shien practitioners died during the Battle of Geonosis. Designed as the 'perseverance form,' Shien essentially makes its user a Force-powered tank that is able to bide its time until an opportunity for counterattack presents itself."

Xel raised an eyebrow at that.

"Djem So is similar. A more advanced and aggressive aspect of Form V, Djem So uses power attacks and sheer brute force to hammer through an opponent's defenses while keeping their own up through Soresu drills. Although the elaborate, ornate motions most often employed in the style seem like unnecessary embellishments to the untrained eye, an opponent discovers very quickly, and fatally, if they are not careful, that every spin and flourish is executed to build power. Djem So can be used against opponents with various types of weapons, much like Shien, but the style is designed primarily for saber dueling. This is most effectively used by physically strong practitioners.

"Form VI: Niman." Images of a Jedi facing off against several opponents came to the front of the projections. "A systematic blending of Forms I, III, IV, and V, Niman was designed as a less individual fighting style with little weakness and a much less demanding training regimen. Ideal for Jedi with other primary occupations than combat, especially diplomats. The movements of this style are also often employed when a saber-wielder uses two lightsabers."

"Not many of those around these days," Alen said. "Dual-wielders, I mean." He looked away mournfully. "Not many Jedi, period."

Xel put a hand on his shoulder, but turned back to the holocron. "Please, continue."

The Jedi nodded. "Form VII: Juyo." The image of a Jedi leaping toward an opponent was plastered onto the screen, along with several vicious assaults in other settings. "A highly erratic and unpredictable form, Juyo uses deception and explosive movements to keep one's opponent constantly off-balance. The moment a gap appears in an opponent's defenses, the user can immediately exploit this weakness and potentially eviscerate their opponent."

The Mando raised an eyebrow. "That sounds…useful."

"Yeah," Alen replied, "but it's really tough to master."

"I, personally, practice Niman."

Both boys turned toward their approaching mother, who had a small smile on her face.

"So," Xel said thoughtfully, "balance, huh?"

She nodded slowly. "Balance."

Alen smiled, knowing there was far more going on than was apparent, and stood, pulling his lightsaber off his belt and handing it to Xel, nerf-leather grip first. "Ready to get back to it?"

Xel sighed, giving his brother an arched eyebrow, but took the proffered weapon. "You know, we should do that more often." He motioned to the inactive holocron.

"Right," Alen chuckled sarcastically, "because learning how best to swing a lightsaber is a _great_ bonding activity."

Xel shrugged. "Why not? Some of my closest friends on Mandalore were met during training."

As Alen chewed this over, Xel stepped back into the open central room, powering on his brother's saber and raising it to a ready position, facing the first remote as it approached, a gentle smile coming to his face as he thought of the headway he'd just made with his brother. Suddenly, it all just…came to him. The saber moved like lightning, intercepting one shot after the next as he let the Force flow. Both observers' eyebrows shot up, and ten minutes later, he was deflecting bolts from two sources at once, hardly breaking a sweat as he alternated sides of defense. The remotes finally powered down, and he deactivated the lightsaber, grinning at his audience.

"That was…how did you just do that?"

"I dunno, _vod_. If I had to guess, though, I'd say…" He smiled widely. "Interesting," he said, more to himself.

Alen and Telia exchanged an amused look.

"Well," Telia said, "whatever it was, you think you could get there again?"

He smiled. "Easily."

"Excellent."

…

2 days later

Xel's teeth sunk into a flavorless ration bar as Alen did the same, the older boy grimacing as he chewed it.

"How do you _not_ hate this stuff?"

"How do you _not_ hate meditating?"

Alen paused for a moment, then shrugged. "Touché."

Xel looked up at the mountain peak facing them, pondering the massive distance they'd already climbed. He hadn't been completely out of armor for this long in years, and he had to admit, he felt vulnerable, practically naked. Until the Force holocron taught him to properly create and maintain Force Shields around himself, he would probably still feel that way. Telia had sent them on this climb to teach Xel to rely on the Force to maintain and regenerate his body when under large amounts of stress. Thus far, his considerable stamina from years of Mando training and months of bounty hunting had been enough that he didn't have to. Even Alen, who had far more experience with this, seemed a little more ragged than his brother.

"All right," Alen said as he rose to his feet, "this mountain isn't gonna climb itself." He offered Xel a hand.

The younger boy took it, pulling himself to his feet and brushing himself off. He was wearing one of Alen's many robes, and none too happy about it. _I look terrible in brown._

"You could be wearing tan."

Xel glared at his twin. "Thought I told you guys to stop doing that."

"Thought we told you to keep your thoughts hidden if you didn't want us looking."

With that, Xel consciously slammed the door on his mind, a very strange feeling that had taken some time to get used to. Eventually, Telia had told him, he would be able to keep that door closed subconsciously, with several locks that, if broken, would alert him to forced entry. The Force was a whole new world beyond the one he knew so well, and despite the dark cloud of having to hide his presence, Xel couldn't help but love learning as much as he could. Of course, there were always the walls he would run up against.

Telekinesis was coming fairly easily now, but calming his mind seemed supremely impractical in combat. The holocron guardian had warned him against the dangers of emotion when it came to using the Force, but as they all knew, neither Xel, nor anyone else in his family, believed in serenity at the cost of humanity. The guardian sensed this from time to time and shut down as a result, but Xel had managed to advance his knowledge of the Force in leaps and bounds nonetheless. Even Alen had acknowledged that his brother had considerable aptitude for the Jedi Arts.

"I don't want to be a Jedi," he'd said.

Alen had laughed. "Nor would I want you to. You'd be a _terrible_ Jedi."

Now, they were alternating between climbing and cooperating, Xel's superior physical strength serving to help his brother along, though the young Jedi was no weakling. The Mando reached for a handhold on a nearly vertical surface, cool confidence flooding him as they steadily scaled the rock wall. His foot landed on a corner, giving him leverage to make a small jump to an even higher hold.

"You all right, brother?"

He glanced down at Alen. "Fine. Let's just get this done. I may not hate those ration bars, but I'm ready for some _real_ food."

"I'll second that," Alen grumbled, channeling the Force and leaping up ten feet to a craggy outcrop and holding on tight.

"Oi! No fair!"

Alen sent him a toothy grin.

Xel rolled his eyes. _You think you're hot stuff?_ Xel called on the Force, letting it flow and fill him until he felt that supreme high he'd first felt when facing the remotes. The boy channeled it all into his legs, feeling the currents swirling around his body, and leapt. Alen's gaping expression was all he could see as he zipped past, leaping a full fifteen feet ahead of his brother, a total distance of twenty-five feet. Of course, he was so focused on the distance that he didn't realize he had nothing to grab onto until he started falling. Out of reflex, his right index slammed on his left forearm, launching a grappling hook from the gauntlet he'd hidden under his robe's sleeve. The metal head dug into the rock just above him, anchoring him solidly and keeping him suspended long enough to grab a more solid support.

"What exactly is your definition of fair, Xel?!"

"Well, I _could've_ been using it to scale the mountain a lot faster," he called back, "but instead I just kept it as a backup. Safety first, _ner vod_." He gave Alen a cheeky smile and a thumbs-up, prompting a deadpanned look from his brother as the Jedi climbed to his level. "How about this? Whoever makes it to the top first gets to learn a secret from the loser. Don't worry, I'll continue not to use the grapple except in emergencies."

Alen narrowed his eyes. "You're on."

Xel grinned. "Perfect."

The brothers had been growing closer for the past two days since their initial foray into "bridge-building," but there were still topics that seemed…unspeakable. After all, though they were family by blood, the twins were strangers to each other, and as Mandos always say, _aliit ori'shya tal'din_: family is more than blood. Mando-raised or not, they both knew this, so Alen understood the meaning behind his gesture.

"All right," Xel said, coiling up for a "vertical sprint," "on my mark. Three-two-one-go!"

And like that, they were off, scrambling for handholds and making their way steadily upward. The Force spoke to their minds and limbs, guiding them to safe holds and paths up the mountain's surface. In mere minutes, the peak was in sight, and they were still neck and neck. _This might just be a tie._

"_Not if I can help it," _Alen thought to him, too out of breath and focused to say it aloud. He coiled up and Force Jumped another twenty feet to a slippery handhold, channeling the Force into his grip to keep from falling.

Xel's heart dropped as he watched his brother dangle precariously, and he paused for a moment, scanning the area above to see a more secure route to his level, then leaping the distance there. Once his grip was secure, he shimmied across the cliffside to Alen's position, firing his grapple into the wall next to his left hand and using the cable as an anchor to lean back and offer his hand. Alen struggled with his position for a few more seconds before sighing and reaching for Xel. The Mando's grip was as strong as ever despite their vigorous climb, as was the Jedi's, and Alen knew his brother had learned the lesson.

"You all right?"

Alen gave out another sigh at his own failure and impatience. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

He laughed nervously. "You know, I half-expected you to just leave me there."

Xel gave him a piercing, narrow-eyed look. "I'm competitive, not homicidal. And you're my brother." He reached for a higher hold and hoisted himself up another two feet, stopping to look down at Alen. "Family always comes first."

Alen opened his mouth to speak before shutting it and joining in the climb much more cautiously. It seemed Xel had had enough close calls too. Finally, they both slammed their palms onto the peak, a relatively flat plateau, and pulled themselves onto solid ground, collapsing a second later in exhaustion. Force or no Force, they were only human. The brothers exchanged a long look before breaking into laughter.

"Good job, bro," Alen breathed out, raising a fist in his direction. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

Xel just bumped his fist with his own, focusing on keeping his breathing regular. Night was falling, temperatures were dropping, and the air on this mountain was thin enough as-is. Xel looked at Alen when he was unable to speak.

"I know."

"We should…we should get back." Xel struggled to his feet, brushing dust off his robes as Alen joined him with a nod.

Before either of them could move, though, a loud roar reached their ears and a rugged-looking ship descended from the clouds.

"What the hell?!"

The exit ramp opened and four figures leapt out, dropping ten feet to roll and shoulder weapons.

"Oh _shab_," Xel breathed out. He recognized this bunch.

"Been a while, Mando," the toughest-looking of the group, a burly, scarred Sakiyan said. "Or should I say, Jedi."

Xel arched an eyebrow before rolling his eyes. "Really? Have you ever even _heard_ of a Mandalorian Jedi?"

"First time for everything."

"You…know these guys?" Alen asked his brother.

Xel crossed his arms, less than intimidated by their weaponry. "Unfortunately, yes. These are the _shabuire_ who tried to pressure me into joining their little crew when I first got here."

"When you said no, I got to thinkin'. Why would a Mandalorian refuse good pay, good comrades, and a good old nomadic life?"

"Did you find an answer?"

"'Cause he's a wanted man, that's why. Hence the 'low profile.' I decided to follow you, and it's a good thing too. See, my men and I have been out of work for quite a while, and for mercs, that's a very bad thing. Fortunately for us—and quite unfortunately for you—you have quite a sizable bounty on your head by nature of existing."

"Okay, let's play this out logically then." Xel sounded and genuinely _was_ annoyed at this point. "Jedi carry lightsabers, yes?"

"They wouldn't if they were trying to hide their identity."

Xel raised his hands to indicate the mountain. "From who? Who is there to fool up here?"

The Sakiyan was silent a while, and Xel could feel the gears turning in his head, his previously solid conclusion starting to evaporate until his gaze shifted to Alen. He gave Xel a nasty smile. "Even if you're not a Jedi, _he _is."

Xel's blood ran cold as his eyes closed with a sigh, his right eye flickering open for barely a moment to see the silver and black cylinder hanging from his brother's belt. "Well…_osik_." He bolted diagonally toward them, trying to close the distance before bolts started flying, but before he could, a stun bolt slammed into his leg, completely shutting it down and causing him to collapse onto his elbows. A blazing _snap-hiss_ alerted Xel to Alen's entry of the fight, the young Jedi deflecting bolt after bolt as Xel desperately tried to get his limbs to wake up. Alen was good, but there was no way he could fend them all off at once, especially since they all split up in opposite directions, two of them flanking his brother, one at his front.

_Wait, where's four?_

"Nighty night, Mando."

A flash of black, scaly skin was all he saw before another stun bolt rendered him unconscious.

…

"_Shabla osik_," Xel groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, his eyes snapping open to see his darkened surroundings. _Cargo hold._ He snarled. _Classy._ He groaned again, trying to push himself to his feet only to find his hands cuffed behind his back. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Unfortunately not."

His eyes snapped to the source of the voice, straining against the dark to see a familiar silhouette. "Alen!"

"Yeah, I'm okay. A little the worse for wear, maybe, but alive."

He heard his brother's groan as he too got to his feet. "How'd they get you?"

"Stun bolt to the back. Saw it coming. Wasn't fast enough."

"Don't worry about it. We'll get outta this."

"I know. I'm just worried about Mom."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Mom?"

"What if these guys found out about her too? What if they told someone?"

"They wouldn't," Xel said with certainty. "Trust me, as a bounty hunter, I know there's nothing worse than competition swiping your target. Unfortunate as it is, Jedi are the juiciest bounties, so naturally they would produce more competition."

Alen sighed in relief.

"Don't relax just yet. We're still in trouble, and if these mercs do realize they can't take us on their own, they'll definitely go running to the Empire."

"Right," he said resolutely, tugging at his cuffs and focusing the Force on uncoupling them.

…

He was at this for less than a second before the door of the hold opened, letting in light and five mercs.

"So," the leader said, "what are Jedi worth these days, like twenty mill?"

"Fifty," another responded, "alive anyway."

The leader nodded slowly as if pondering something. "Alive doesn't necessarily mean intact, though."

Xel scowled and stepped between them and his brother. "You're not touching him," he snarled.

The Sakiyan chuckled. "And who's gonna stop us, you? You're cuffed without use of your hands, out of armor, with no weapons. What're you gonna do?"

Xel's eyes narrowed. "You _di'kut_. The armor doesn't make the man, and nature gave me fists and teeth. Since I don't have my fists, I'll just have to use my teeth."

"Uh huh," he mocked, motioning to two mercs.

Both brothers snapped into action, Xel barreling toward the one on the left and slamming his shoulder into the man's gut as Alen jump-kicked the other in the jaw. The rest of the mercs rushed in, their sheer mass slowing the twins down enough that they were restrained at opposite sides of the ten-foot room in a matter of seconds, the Sakiyan cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"So, which one first?"

"You lay a _finger_ on him and I will gut you!"

"With what blade?"

The merc backhanded Xel hard, knocking him to the ground as he roared back, landing a solid kick on his gut as Alen yelled at them. The Jedi had the wind knocked out of him a moment later by the same man, who laid into his face with vicious blows. Blood streamed from a busted lip and broken nose as Xel roared from his place, rising with almost inhuman strength and delivering a hard thrust kick to the side of the leader's knee. The Sakiyan shrieked in pain before wheeling on him and driving a hard cross into the side of Xel's head. He flopped back, his body going limp as Alen looked on in horror, barely glimpsing a bright flash of metal fall from the merc leader's pocket.

His eyes widened as his lightsaber bounced twice, the cylinder kicked behind the unconscious Xel by the shuffling feet of the oblivious captain. If he could reach it with the Force…

That idea fled with the reintroduction of his captor's fists to his body. _I'm sorry, Xel,_ he thought as the pain started to overwhelm him and black spots swam in the edges of his vision.

…

_Fools,_ Xel mocked mentally. Contrary to what everyone else in the room believed, Xel hadn't been knocked out, only faked it to escape their attention. As his right eye cracked open, he saw that his two restrainers had swallowed his act and released him, stepping toward their leader to watch the show. He scowled hard, silently bringing himself up into a sitting position. A clink from behind caught his attention, and he spotted the lightsaber rolling into the wall. Xel couldn't reach it from where he was, and he didn't trust himself to move quietly enough to get there.

As Alen yelped with another impact, red-hot sparks filled him, and his fingers reflexively stretched out toward the saber. _Come on, idiot, think!_ The answer came to him in a whisper. He took a deep breath, fighting to drown out the screams of his beaten brother. Then he stopped, letting them ring loud and clear, letting the fire inside increase and anger permeate every fiber of his being. Serenity was a lie at that moment, a goal as far and unreachable as the ghosts of past dead. His eyes fluttered closed as his fingers stretched out yet again, this time in expectance instead of desperation. In his mind's eye, he could see his brother look in his direction with the eye that wasn't swollen closed, hope and wonder filling him and momentarily drowning out the pain.

Just like that, the Force was there, watching, waiting. He focused on it, gritting his teeth harder and harder until there was nothing but his rage, the Force, and the lightsaber. He pictured the saber in his hand, believing with every fiber of his being that Alen would die without him.

And he let the Force flow.

The impact of leather on skin startled him a bit, but not nearly enough to distract him.

_Snap-hiss._

The blue blade sliced through his cuffs instantly as he shot to his feet, cutting down the men who'd restrained him within less than a second, then snapping his attention to the Sakiyan, who drew a blaster from his right hip and fired twice. His arms snapped like lightning, the blade batting both bolts aside as he snarled in rage and threw the weapon end over end, its shaft imbedding itself in his target. Xel dove toward his falling body as the last two mercs let his brother go, ignoring the distinct thump of Alen's body hitting the floor to snatch up the captain's blaster. As he rolled to a crouch, a pair of double-taps finished off his targets, and he reached over to Alen's fallen saber to thumb it on.

Walking to his brother, he crouched down and carefully cut his cuffs before closing down the weapon and taking his pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank the _Manda_._

"Alen." He gently shook the teen. "Alen, come on, _ner vod_, talk to me."

"Still...here," he groaned back.

Xel exhaled hard and smiled. "Good man. Come on now." He slung his brother's arm over his shoulder, hoisting his body upright as he sluggishly put one foot after the next on their way to the cockpit.

...

"Where the hell _were_ you two?!" Telia's next exclamation died on her lips when she saw Alen's condition as Xel half-carried him down the ramp of the unfamiliar ship. "Oh, Force." She dashed toward them, supporting Alen's other side as they carried him into the house.

"Looks...worse than it is, Ma."

"The hell it does," she scolded, grabbing a first aid kit and stabbing a painkiller into his neck. When Alen's nose had been splinted and his other injuries tended to, she spun to Xel and glanced over his injuries in a half-second, noting a few swelling spots but nothing much more serious...that he was showing. Her eyes narrowed. "You. Explain."

Xel looked at her incredulously. "Why me?"

"Because you're the only one who can talk."

"What're you talkin' about?" Alen slurred. "I'm still conscious."

Telia's eyes warmed as she put a hand on his shoulder. "Not anymore." Her hand lifted to the side of his head, and his body went limp a second later. She gingerly lowered him into a nearby chair, making sure he would wake up comfortably before turning to Xel. "Jedi healing trance. Now, spill."

He told her about the hunters and how they'd used him to track them down. Xel also made sure to tell her that they were all very much dead, excluding the details of their escape. His mental shields were going at full strength, and he chose his words carefully. There was no way he wanted her to know how much he lost control of his emotions. No, he didn't lose control, he consciously _chose_ to use them, and quite specifically every single one she and the holocrons had warned him against.

"So," she said when he finished, "you and your brother were captured, held, and nearly beaten to death by a team of bounty hunters, and the only reason we're even having this conversation is because you managed to get your brother's lightsaber and cut your way to freedom."

He shrugged. "Essentially."

Her smaller hands grasped his. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

His eyes widened. _How does she know?_ Xel didn't even realize he'd let his shields slip.

"Because I'm your mother." She smirked. "And because you are, at heart, very much your father's son." She looked away, smiling in reminiscence. "He never believed in the power of serenity. Thought that closing yourself off from emotion was the fastest way to lose yourself, to lose who you were." Telia shook her head as memories flew through her mind.

Subconsciously, some of them flew across their Force Bond, and Xel's eyes went wide as he was suddenly given a second pair of eyes. Xander stood on the hull of a starship in..._silver_ armor, looking out on a jungle world. A feminine hand reached for his shoulder, and he turned toward the source, smiling in a way Xel had never even seen. _So...this is what the gray meant._ His eyes slammed shut as he tried to block out the visions, his eyes burning with tears. A hand on his shoulder followed the disappearance of the vision.

"Xel, I—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

He raised a hand. "It's all right," he choked out. "I just...his armor. It was gray when I knew him."

The wide-eyed expression on her face told him she knew the color's significance.

"He sacrificed his life with you...for me." Xel's fists clenched. "I...I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Telia's grip tightened before she pulled him into a hug. "I know, Xel." Her hands stroked through his hair as he returned the embrace, her lips pressing against the top of his head. "But you were worth it." She pulled away and looked into his reddened eyes. "You _are_ worth it."

* * *

AN: Seeing as how it's the holidays (even if I don't celebrate them) and I'm feeling charitable, I'm releasing two chapters today. Enjoy and don't forget to review and recommend.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: A New Hope - Tales of a Jedi Knight: start-0:45: Xel touches the Force

Star Wars: TOR - Tython Wellspring: training

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – The Wampa's Lair: start-1:40: cargo hold beating to Xel's rampage


	9. Training, Part II

"He sacrificed his life with you...for me." Xel's fists clenched. "I...I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Telia's grip tightened before she pulled him into a hug. "I know, Xel." Her hands stroked through his hair as he returned the embrace, her lips pressing against the top of his head. "But you were worth it." She pulled away and looked into his reddened eyes. "You _are_ worth it."

...

1 month later

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 5 months BBY

"Ah, hello, Initiate."

Xel sighed as he sat down hard in front of the Force holocron. "Really wish you would stop calling me that. I'm not even a Jedi."

"Even so, you are still an initiate in the ways of the Force. Now, where were we last time?"

"I think we had just gotten to Force Shields."

The holographic Jedi stroked his beard as if in thought. "Maybe, but a little review never hurt anyone," he said almost flippantly.

Xel groaned internally. _Except me and my sanity._ "Well then," he said in the same tone, "by all means."

"Excellent. First off, Force Sense: the primary connection of any Force-user to their source of power. Sense allows the user to detect focal points of Force energy, as well as other Force-users. This also enables anticipation of attacks, danger, and sometimes the future, depending on the user's power and the will of the Force."

"Yes, yes," Xel said impatiently, "I know this already. That was, like, the _first_ thing I learned."

"Review never hurt anyone," the Jedi reminded him, "but I suppose we could move on a bit further."

Xel squinted and scratched his head. "Let me ask you somethin'. Do you _enjoy_ tormenting your students?"

The master smiled slightly and let out a slight chuckle. "Force Speed: enhances the running and/or motor speed of the user based on focus and power. Force Push: a basic self-defense power for all Force-users, this directs a concentrated blast of kinetic energy at a single or multiple opponents, depending on both the power and intent of the user. Force Grip: a telekinetic ability common to all Force-users, Grip can be used to lift and move heavier objects than physically possible. Records indicate that some of the most powerful Force-users are capable of ripping kilometer-sized warships from the sky. This can also be used passively as reinforcement of one's physical strength through tactile telekinesis.

"Force Jump: a Force power that gives the user the ability to leap great heights and distances. Also known as Force Leap. Force Focus: passive power that enhances all physical and mental attributes of the user through intense focus of one's Force energies. This ability is less likely to be used by Dark Jedi and Sith due to the extreme emotional nature of their philosophy." The master noted the slight narrowing of Xel's eyes, but continued. "Force Persuasion: allows the user to influence and even control other, weaker minds. This can be used to temporarily turn loyalties or even wipe memories. Force Shield: allows the user to deflect, reflect, or simply block anything from heat to solid objects to Force powers, and even blaster bolts, depending on user focus and power."

"I need to learn that one as quickly as humanly possible. I feel naked outside my armor."

The Jedi arched an eyebrow. "Armor, eh?" He motioned with his arms a few times, sending a half dozen holographic images flittering past. "There is a more advanced form of Force Shield called Force Armor. It's more advanced and effectively puts the user in a second skin of kinetic energy. It's used primarily to defend against physical impacts, but high-level practitioners can deflect blaster bolts and other advanced weapons."

"I see..." Xel grinned and crossed his arms. "Probably never measures up to _beskar'gam_, though."

The master sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, yes, we all know you're proud of your special armor."

"But please, continue."

"Finally," the hologram said in an exasperated tone, "Force Absorb. This is by far the most difficult 'neutral' ability to master, and allows full absorption of nearly any kind of energy, including that found in blaster bolts, Force Lightning and even Curse. Also known as Tutaminis."

"Woah. Woah-woah-woah, back up. Lightning? _Curse_? What the hell are those?"

The Jedi's expression turned deadly serious. "Above your level."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "Of power or clearance?"

"Both. This holocron has data on Sith abilities, but those will not be cleared for you to access unless you are knighted or your master gives explicit instructions otherwise."

Xel looked away. "Right. So, if I, oh, I don't know, have to fight one, I'll have no idea what I'm up against where power's concerned."

"It's for your own good, to prevent—"

"To prevent me from learning too much too fast and become obsessed with power, yes?"

The Jedi seemed a little stunned. "Well…yes."

Xel shrugged with a frown. "Makes sense. Doesn't mean I don't find it a little impractical, especially with the Sith in control of the galaxy."

"Perhaps." They were both silent a while. "Shall we move on?"

"Yes, that would be best."

"First off, you should know that nearly every neutral power has more advanced or specialized forms."

Xel's eyebrow raised. "Oh? Do tell. Unless, of course, I'm barred."

The guardian gave him a snarky look. "Under the, shall we say, 'tree' of Force Push, we have three variations. Force Blast: a much more intense version of Force Push, Blast causes a telekinetic explosion at the target with enough force to shatter 2-inch thick solid durasteel. This is typically built-up over a few seconds with focus. Force Wave emits a wave of kinetic energy in a single direction, blowing aside anything in its path. This can be used in a single thrust or constant push. Force Repulse is by far the most difficult, and is a power that sends an explosion of kinetic energy in all directions from the user."

"That sounds…useful. All three, I mean. When can I learn those?"

"When you've mastered Force Push."

"Right. Start at the roots, right?"

"Precisely. Under Grip lie two abilities: Force Throw and Saber Throw. Force Throw is a specialized version of Grip that is used primarily in combat, allowing the user to toss various objects at an opponent. Saber Throw is—"

"When you toss a lightsaber and call it back," he interrupted. He shrugged. "Pretty self-explanatory."

"Precisely. Under Throw, there is another more advanced form: ballistakinesis. Ballistakinesis involves accelerating small, usually harmless objects to lethal speeds, effectively using the Force as an invisible slug thrower."

Xel's eyebrows shot up. "Woah."

"Yes, it's quite powerful in the right hands, but few ever take the time or effort to learn it. It's far easier to use larger objects."

"Right. More force-slash-momentum."

"Precisely."

"So what else?"

"Well, you already know about Force Armor, but there is another form of Shield called Reflect. As one might expect, Force Reflect is an advanced ability that allows the user to deflect and even redirect blaster bolts at the shooter. It can also be used to redirect other forms of energy, like Force Lightning and fire."

Xel's eyes narrowed again. "You mentioned Lightning again."

"So I did."

"So, Sith can create lightning."

"Some, yes," he admitted. "It is a difficult ability to master, but quite powerful and difficult to defend against without use of a lightsaber."

"What do you mean?"

The Jedi sighed. "Well, I suppose there's no danger so long as you don't know the details…" He refocused on Xel. "If you ever, by some terrible stroke of Fate, find yourself up against a Sith with this ability, focus on your lightsaber and keep it between you and them. Because its blade is effectively made of frozen light, a lightsaber is slightly polarized to keep the shaft from collapsing or becoming unstable. It is this polarity that attracts the electrons disturbed during a lightning strike."

"So the saber would absorb the incoming lightning."

"Exactly."

Caden stroked his chin in thought. "Awesome."

The Jedi smiled. "Glad you think so, and see? We're not all 'mystical monks.'"

Xel blushed furiously.

The guardian laughed. "There's quite a bit of rational thought that goes into being a Jedi, and using a lightsaber is just as much science as art."

"Okay, question. What if I go up against a Sith with knowledge of Force Lightning and _don't_ have a lightsaber?"

He raised an eyebrow. "At this point in time, with your level of experience?" He leaned toward Xel for emphasis. "Run."

Xel looked off at a wall and thought about it for a second before shrugging. "Fair enough." He was quiet a while. "Exactly how much damage can Lightning do?"

The master hesitated. "Depending on the user, it can be anywhere from a static shock to the full power of a lightning bolt…sustained."

Caden cringed. "Ouch."

"It is, to the untrained or unprepared victim, painfully lethal."

"And I'm guessing _beskar_ won't protect very much against that."

"Unless you've found a way to make metal non-conductive, no."

"_Shab_."

"Quite right."

They were silent a while. "Anything else you want me to know?"

"Not about that."

"Right, no, I mean, on the 'neutrals.'"

"Ah. Well, there is one more advanced technique called Force Sight. Related to Force Sense, it allows the user to recreate a scene in their mind based on the latent Force energy of the living beings involved in what happened. This can also be used if the beings in question have just died."

"So…someone who uses that could recreate, say, a murder scene in his mind, like a mental hologram or security cam."

"Precisely. This was very useful to investigative Jedi before the Order was destroyed. One notable account was Master Quinlan Vos." He did a double-take at the scowl Xel shot him. "What is wrong, Initiate?"

"I dunno if you heard the whole truth about Vos during the Clone Wars, but…" He shook his head. "He was an arrogant _hut'uun_,from what my dad told me. Treated his troops like slaves."

"That…is not the Jedi way."

Xel sneered. "Wasn't much of a Jedi. Went 'dark' at some point. Lot of people, mostly clones, wished the Jedi had killed him instead of bringing him back to the Light."

"That is not the Jedi way."

"Well, in case you can't tell, I don't give a vrelt's _shebs_ about the Jedi way." He crossed his arms. "And neither did my _buir_." They were both silent a while.

"I think that's enough for one day," the guardian said at last.

"Yeah," Xel agreed, standing up and reaching over to the holocron. "Thanks for the lesson."

"It was no problem."

The hologram winked out of existence before Xel slumped back in his chair, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"You know, that last ability, Sight, I can do that sometimes."

Xel's blue eyes snapped to the doorway on his right to see Alen standing there toweling off his hands. His injuries from their encounter with the bounty hunters had healed relatively quickly, as Telia had predicted, but the slight crook in his formerly broken nose was quite evident. Jedi healing trances were quite useful, as she'd proven, but when Xel could no longer feel his brother's pulse, he nearly panicked. She'd assured him he was alive and encouraged him to feel his life in the Force, which he did with relief.

"At distance," she'd said, "this becomes more difficult, even with a Force Bond such as the one we share."

"So, if you were on another planet and decided to go into this…trance, I wouldn't be able to tell if you were alive."

"Exactly, but you would know if I was dead."

"How…does that make any sense?"

"Tell me something, Xel…when Xander died, what did you feel?"

His eyes had gone wide in recognition. "Like my heart was being torn out."

"I…felt something similar, but not quite as powerful. I suppose it was the distance. That's why I couldn't be sure, even if I couldn't feel the other end of our Bond. Maybe I just didn't want to believe it. When you told me, though…"

Xel snapped himself back to the present and rose from his seat. "You ever gotten an opportunity to try it out?"

Alen shrugged. "Yeah, once or twice. Still pretty difficult for me, and before you ask, no, I haven't tried it on a crime scene yet."

Caden's eyebrows furrowed. "What then?"

Alen sucked his lower lip into his mouth in an attempt to hide his smile.

"What did you do?" Xel asked with a roll of his eyes.

"I kind of…" He snickered. "The cookie jar."

"Huh?"

"When I was younger. Mom would always hide the cookie jar in different places 'cause no matter what, I could always find a way to reach it. When I found out about Force Sight from the holocron, I tried it out. Took me six months to pull it off, but I finally did it. Had to make Mom move the jar first though."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Why's that?"

"Force Sight only works if there's latent Force energy to interpret. Essentially, whatever you're seeing has to have been done fairly recently, otherwise it won't work."

"Gotcha…so even the Force has limits."

"Well…no. The Force has _no_ limits. We do. We're vessels for its power, or conduits, depending on how you look at it. The quality of that vessel determines how much Force power we can wield. In this case, latent Force energy doesn't stick around forever, so even the most talented practitioners would be stumped by a cold case."

"Makes sense." Xel turned away and thought for a while. "Would you…nah."

"What?"

He made eye contact. "Would you like to spar?"

Alen's eyebrows went up. "Like, hand-to-hand or—?"

"Or."

The Jedi shrugged and nodded. "Sure. You'd need a saber, though."

"That won't be a problem."

Both boys smiled at the new arrival, who was brushing snow out of her robes as she pulled back her hood. Telia reached for her belt, unclipping her lightsaber and handing it to Xel. "Use mine."

"Thanks, _buir_."

She smiled warmly as she stepped aside to give them room.

"You ready to get your _shebs_ handed to you?"

Alen rolled his eyes and grinned. "What did I say about mouthing off?"

"Just shut up and fight, I know."

Two blades sprang to life with identical _snap-hisses_ as emerald and sapphire faced off, crossing in an Aggressive Neutral position after activating the weapons' secondary "training" modes.

"Don't take it easy on me, _vod_."

"If I don't, it won't be a fair fight."

"If I'm up against a Sith, you really think they'll care?"

Alen opened his mouth silently.

"Train for realism, _vod_. It's the only way to be truly prepared." Xel raised Telia's saber hilt to his shoulder, the blade angled straight upward in Defensive Neutral. "Now come on."

Alen saluted with his blade before thrusting forward in a seamless, one-handed stab. Xel spun his right wrist counter-clockwise, deflecting the blow to the side with his blade angled down before snapping his wrist upward, angling the blade forward and thrusting. Alen sidestepped the strike with ease, twirling around his brother and aiming several slashes at his shoulder and legs. Xel's quick reflexes paid off as he avoided one strike after the next, parrying and dodging in equal amounts.

"You're holding back," Xel pointed out.

"No," Alen retorted, "I'm warming up."

A quick stab at Caden's midsection was blocked, but Alen turned the sideways momentum into a turn, swinging upward and right before snapping back in the blink of an eye in a neckward slash. Xel ducked under the strike, using his crouched position to roll to his brother's left side, cutting at his legs and hitting empty air as Alen leapt over the green blade. Unfortunately, his position also left him vulnerable to a falling side-kick that sent him rolling across the floor. Quickly regaining his balance, Caden rose to his feet, withdrawing rapidly as Alen went on the attack. A thrust was redirected and countered with a wide slash.

Alen ducked the strike and returned a slice of his own. Xel angled his midsection backward to avoid being hit, the heat of the blade felt through his shirt even though it was not currently lethal. The Mando caught Alen's blade with his own, pushing their lock to the side and shoving his shoulder against his brother's, knocking him back a step. Alen called on the Force and somersaulted over Xel's head, but his opponent shifted his grip underhandedly and stabbed backward. If he hadn't seen it coming, Alen would have lost the match. As it were, the tip of Xel's blade shot past his face by inches, and Alen closed the distance rapidly, grabbing his shoulder and shoving him forward. Xel rolled and spun back toward him, twisting around a thrust and spinning 360 degrees to deliver a powerful horizontal strike.

Alen's guard was battered away by the blow for barely a moment before he readjusted, aiming to redirect rather than block his brother's attacks. As their duel progressed, Alen's eyes narrowed at Xel's change of approach. His movements were large, wide, and sweeping, almost exaggerated. It was like he was trying to give him an opening. Wary, Alen decided to take him up on his offer, dodging another wide strike and closing the distance with a ducking slash at his midsection. Faster than he thought possible, Xel brought his blade back in the opposite direction to Alen's strike, and only a quick pivot on Alen's part kept his saber in his hand.

The surprise on Alen's face was priceless in Xel's eyes, and his grin betrayed his thoughts as the Jedi suddenly found himself on the defensive as color flooded his cheeks. "Thought Makashi was supposed to _counter_ Shii-Cho."

"Shut up," Alen scolded, embarrassed.

Before he could say more, Xel pressed the attack with several progressively more powerful vertical strikes, finishing with a leap and downward slash on his way down. Spotting this, Alen twisted and rolled to the side, calling on the Force to keep his breathing and heart regulated as sweat streamed down both their bodies. Xel settled into a relentless plan of attack, not letting up for a second or giving his brother an opening. His blade was a blur of emerald light, Alen's having to move just as fast to stay in the game. Finally, the Jedi was backed into a corner. Xel charged with a diagonally upward strike, spinning mid-step to add power.

Alen waited until the last possible instant to step to the side and angle his blade vertically, redirecting Xel's strike away from his body and giving him the opening he needed. A rising cut to the midsection won him the match. To him, Xel's gaping expression of disbelief was just as priceless.

"You still got a lot to learn, little brother."

Xel glowered at him as he closed down Telia's saber. "Hey, I held my own." He rolled his eyes at Alen's smirk and raised eyebrows. "Let me guess, you were holding back." A snicker on his brother's part confirmed this as he walked away. "_Shabuir_. I told you not to."

"I know," he laughed as he wiped his face off, "I just couldn't help myself."

Xel glared at him as Telia watched them impassively. "Try harder then. I need to know my limits, and I'm not gonna find them with you jerking me around." He strode out of the room, handing Telia her saber as he made his exit.

Alen turned to his mother, who was giving him a disapproving expression. "What?"

"He's right, you know."

"Oh come on. You can't expect me to just cut loose. I don't want to crush him."

Telia shook her head, eyes closed. "He's not like you, Alen. His father raised him to be _mandokarla_. A lot encompasses that word. Toughness, skill, strength, and most importantly, determination." She sighed and leaned back against a nearby wall. "Mandalorians have a saying that I think sums up our necessary approach perfectly. _Mishuk gotal'u meshuroke, pako kyore_: pressure makes gems, ease makes decay. Do you see? He _needs_ to be crushed to some degree, Alen. It's the way he was trained, and probably the only way he'll really learn."

"I…I see." Alen looked away, silent for a while. "I will…meditate on this."

"See that you do."

…

2 days later

"Anger can't solve everything."

"No, but neither can serenity. When I was on that ship with you getting clubbed to death ten feet away, there wasn't _time_ for serenity, for that kind of emotionless focus. I had to act, so I did."

"At what cost?"

Xel gave him a strange look. "None, from where I can see. I took out the hunters, saved your life, and captured the ship. No one was the wiser to who we are or where we live."

"You used your rage."

"So? I knew what I was doing."

"But will you always?"

Xel sat back in his chair, closing his mouth in frustration. They'd been having this philosophical discussion for the last half hour and neither seemed to be getting a leg up over the other. "Okay, you have a fair point. I'm not saying I should rely _exclusively_ on my anger. I'm just saying I shouldn't be afraid to from time to time."

"And why not? If you tap into your anger a little, who's to say it won't grow?"

"So what if it did? It'd just mean I had access to more power."

"At the cost of—"

"Cost of what? My control? My rationality? Even if I lose control of _how_ I fight someone, I still know who it is I'm fighting. I still _choose_ who it is I'm fighting. On that ship, I chose to use my anger. _Chose_."

Alen sighed in exasperation. He was getting nowhere and he knew it. Surprisingly, Telia, who was sitting in another room within earshot, hadn't entered the conversation yet.

"Look, you were raised as a Jedi, so you were taught not to use anger as a trigger. That's fine, that's your choice. Notice, your _choice_. If I make a different one—" he shrugged, "—so what? Even the holocrons admit that the Dark Side only dominates your mind and heart if you _choose_ to let it in."

"And you think that opting to use anger and rage isn't letting it in?"

"Well…" Xel fell silent. "I don't know. Maybe. A little."

Alen's eyebrows shot up. "A little? The hell does that mean?"

"I…I don't know." He weaved his fingers through his hair. "I'm not cut out for this mystic debating _osik_."

"I wouldn't know about that," Alen said, crossing his arms. "You're doin' a pretty good job of being a pain."

Xel heard Telia's snicker from the next room. "Regardless, I'm not a Jedi. I am a Mandalorian with a warrior culture that counts serenity as pure _osik_ and a lie. A myth and affront to sentiency itself. To stop feeling is to stop living, and I don't know about you, but I like life very much."

Alen raised his hands in a placatory manner. "Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't feel, 'cause _everyone_ in this family knows that doesn't work. I'm just saying you shouldn't let those feelings control you."

Xel's brain stalled a bit. "What? Wait, then we just made a complete circle back to this control _osik_, which means I'm _still_ beating you."

"Until you lose it."

Xel's teeth clenched. "I won't."

Alen put two fingers to his temple as he furrowed his brows in concentration. "Something tells me…you already have."

Xel let out a derisive laugh. His mental shields were up, so there was no way Alen could have anything to go on. His face was a sardonic mask until he really thought about what his brother was saying.

"You did, didn't you?"

Xel looked down, thinking hard until his eyes widened in realization. The sounds of Telia's small movements in the other room stopped. Xel rose from his seat and made for the backdoor, going outside into the cold winter air and shielding himself in the Force as his breathing became labored. The soft crunch of boots on snow alerted him to an approaching presence.

"When?"

Xel gulped. "Two months ago. Nar Shaddaa."

Alen's eyes widened. "You mean—"

"Not an hour before Dad's death." Xel's expression turned to one of horror. "Alen…Mom said that whenever someone uses the Force, they give off a signature."

"Yeah?"

Xel clawed his fingers through his hair. "It was me," he said almost inaudibly.

"What?"

He turned to Alen slowly. "It was me. I—I lost it when we were up against a bounty and I was able to…do things." His fists clenched. "Things that…didn't seem possible. I destroyed him. Beat him within an inch of his life. A man over twice my age and experience, stronger, faster, and I destroyed him." His eyes closed as he exhaled hard, anger and frustration rising. "I should've realized it sooner."

"You used the Force. For the first time."

Xel locked gazes with him, a scowl on his face. "It wasn't Dad, Alen. It was me."

Alen's ice-blue eyes widened to their max. "No…it couldn't have—"

"Who _else_ could it have been? Dad wasn't using the Force to any degree I could tell, and from what you told me, he knew how to keep himself hidden even if he did to a minor degree." He looked away, blue eyes boring a hole in the snow. "It was me." They were both silent a long time.

"Fierfek," was all Alen said.

"I'm sorry," Xel choked out after another long minute, the snow beneath him melting away in dots as hot tears fell. A firm hand on his shoulder finally broke what little control he had.

His knees hit the snow as Alen stepped forward to crouch behind him, his arms encircling his brother's shoulders tightly as he outright bawled, too absorbed in his grief and self-loathing to notice the woman standing by the backdoor. Too focused on his pain to feel the touch over their Bond until comfort and love crashed into him like tidal waves.

_"You are not to blame, my son."_ Telia's warm, loving arms encircled him as she mentally transmitted what was for Xel alone. _"You are not responsible for the actions of anyone but yourself. You didn't know it would happen. How could you? Alen doesn't blame you. I don't blame you. Your father wouldn't blame you. So don't blame yourself."_

His free arm just clenched around her torso, holding her as close as possible as he emptied himself, absorbing everything she was giving him and feeling a small part of his soul restored even as he blocked her from his thoughts. He wasn't to blame, but he damn well knew who was.

_Vader._

…

1 week later

"Clear your mind."

"I thought we already established that doesn't work for me?"

"Maybe not in a one-on-one fight, but when you're trying to deflect bolts from multiple sources, power alone won't get you anywhere. You need connection."

Xel exhaled hard and raised Telia's saber again as five training remotes rose to greet him with a zap each. He ducked under the first two, blocking the other three as they fired in rapid succession and preparing himself for the second volley. Telia couldn't help but feel proud of her son. In just two months, he was already performing Force and lightsaber techniques that most younglings took years to master. Xel was still rough around the edges, but then, who so new to the ways of the Jedi wasn't?

Another zap managed to make its way through his defenses, and he cursed under his breath as he executed another combat roll, rising to swing his blade in a rough arc that deflected the next two incoming shots but left him vulnerable to another aimed at his thigh. He leapt over a table, swinging his blade into position 4 to deflect another shot and spinning about to see the remotes floating ever closer. His teeth clenched, anger rising as he tried to clear his mind. The remotes stopped in their tracks, floating lower as Telia walked toward him.

"Focus, Xel. Focus on timing, on anticipation, not confrontation. You're getting hit not because you don't know what's going to happen, but because you're just picking targets arbitrarily and not in the order they're coming. Focus on order. Order, Xel."

Caden took a deep breath, releasing it as he tapped into the Force and closed his eyes. The Force swirled through him, curling around his limbs and saber until he Focused it there. His eyes snapped open as a confident smile rose to his face, his weapon suddenly feeling like an extension of his body. Xel gave his mother a nod, and she waved her hand, activating the remotes again and sending them toward him full-tilt. His saber blurred as it twirled in an intricate pattern of slashes and deflects, and Telia could tell that he wasn't really controlling the blade at all. He had begun learning to let go, to release his control to the Force.

The remotes were suddenly less than nothing to him, but that power was getting to his head, and slowly but surely, his Focus began to slip. He was still able to hold them all back, though, having established a strong enough connection to keep going with just a little more effort. A flying box out of nowhere slammed into his back, knocking him off-balance and leaving him vulnerable to a hailstorm of remote zaps.

"What the hell?!"

"Sith don't play fair, remember?"

Xel glared at Alen, swinging his blade upward and catching a bolt before getting one to the side and another to the back. His Focus was completely gone, and the pain was making him reckless. The green blade swung in several arcs, catching bolt after bolt as Xel defaulted to the same Soresu drill he'd performed when first working with the remotes. Which is when Alen slammed him with the box again. He kept the Circle of Shelter up regardless, one of the remotes flanking and shooting him in the back. The box, a zap, another zap, another hit with the box. Sparks, fire, frustration, anger. Xel's teeth were grinding together as his rage began to build, the pain fueling the fire smoldering within until it was fanned into a blaze.

The box flew toward him again, and he spun toward it, outright taking the pain from his robotic attackers to slash a burning hole into it. Roaring, Xel batted one bolt out of the air after the next until he saw the damaged box coming toward him again. The emerald blade swung horizontally, cutting the wooden projectile in half before it deactivated.

Xel, panting with exertion and bubbling anger, tossed the inactive weapon aside, storming toward the back.

"Xel," Telia tried.

He just growled and kept walking.

…

"You know, you can't just run away every time you get frustrated."

Xel snarled at Alen. "_Usen'ye_."

His brother did the exact opposite.

The look of surprise on Xel's face when he recoiled from a sudden punch to the cheek was…well, priceless.

"Let's go."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

"Well you're obviously looking for a fight, and Mom sure as hell won't give it to you, so let's go." His next series of jabs was deflected almost effortlessly by Xel, the younger boy's Mando training kicking in instantly.

"I'm not fighting you."

"Yes, you are."

Alen snap-kicked his brother in the gut, his speed driven with the Force. Xel snarled and straightened himself immediately, falling into a ready stance as Alen pressed forward with a flurry of blows. Jab, cross, hook, knee. Xel blocked or dodged it all, countering every few moves but never landing a hit. Alen leapt over him using the Force, sweeping his legs out with a trip-kick and leaping onto him, leveling punch after punch against him. Xel's arms were held up as a shield, his hips bucking and jostling his brother off. Xel rolled sideways into a crouch, kicking at his unbalanced brother's head and growling as Alen effortlessly deflected the strike and flipped away.

"You're fighting _both_ of us and you don't even know it."

"I'm _trying_ damn you!"

A jab from Alen was caught and countered with a hook on his jaw that, once again, never landed. Instead, Alen leaned into the strike, turning his momentum against him and throwing him over his shoulder onto his front, pinning him once again and holding him in an arm bar. Xel's anger and frustration were palpable.

"Think, Xel. You think we want you to _suppress_ your anger? It's impossible long-term, it never works. All that happens is a pressure build until it finally explodes, and that's the _last_ thing we want happening."

Xel kept struggling rather vainly.

"But," Alen grunted as he shoved his brother down again, "that doesn't mean we like what you're doing with it now."

"What are you talking about?" Xel hissed through clenched teeth.

"You said control is what keeps you from the Dark Side, that you_ choose_ to use your anger, but you're not. You're getting angry. There's a difference."

"How?"

"Use it."

Xel's teeth gritted harder.

"Use it, Xel."

The younger boy dug deep, even deeper than he did on the hunters' ship, finding that spark already crackling out of control. _Out of control._ A mental hand closed around the spark, keeping it contained. He could feel it hammering against the back of his mind, struggling to get out as the pain in his twisted arm started to intensify. _No, this is _my_ fight. _My_ life. My choice. _Xel's lips curled up in a snarl as a roar built in his throat, rising to a fever pitch mere seconds later.

"Get...off!"

A wave of Force energy slammed upward into Alen, punting him ten feet into the air and freeing Xel from his grip. The Mando got to his feet less than a second later, his anger present but not dominant. Under the rage and scowling, Alen could feel his brother clearly, could feel his will directing that inner fire wherever he wanted, and right then, Alen was about to get baked. The Jedi charged in headlong, his more acrobatic style giving him a slight agility advantage…or so he thought. The moment he performed a flying kick, Xel leapt up to meet him, catching his outstretched leg with one open hand and slamming his chest with the other.

Alen's back planted on the ground, and Xel lifted his entire body, throwing him against a nearby wall and charging in. The series of blows leveled against Alen sent shots of pain up his arms even as he blocked, Xel taking advantage of his sudden sluggishness to grab both appendages and throw him over his shoulder. Alen recovered with a roll, scrambling to his feet and driving Xel back with a push-kick. The younger boy spun around a jab and elbowed Alen in the side of the head, then pushed him back before calling on the Force, a wave of kinetic energy slamming into the Jedi and plastering him to the wall. As he heaved for breath, Xel held his brother in place for a few more seconds before releasing him and dropping his hands, collapsing to one knee as he caught his breath.

"Do you see now?"

Xel looked up at him and nodded slowly, allowing his anger to drain away now that he no longer needed it. "Yes." He sluggishly rose to his feet. "Thank you."

"For the match or the lesson?"

"Both."

Alen smiled as they locked hands, his brother pulling him into an unexpected hug. He laughed lightly as they pulled apart. "Any time."

* * *

AN: If you would like to see full schematics of Alen and Telia's lightsabers, go to my page on Facebook. Link's on my profile.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones – Confrontation with Dooku: Alen vs. Xel I


	10. Failure

"Do you see now?"

Xel looked up at him and nodded slowly, allowing his anger to drain away now that he no longer needed it. "Yes." He sluggishly rose to his feet. "Thank you."

"For the match or the lesson?"

"Both."

Alen smiled as they locked hands, his brother pulling him into an unexpected hug. He laughed lightly as they pulled apart. "Any time."

...

1 month later

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 3 months BBY

Leaps and bounds. It was the only metaphor that could be used to describe Xel's rate of progress to any sufficient degree, and even then both Alen and Telia agreed that it fell terribly short. Perhaps lightspeed was a better comparison. Whatever the case, Xel certainly felt like he was in self-propelled hyperspace, if the grin plastered to his face as he batted bolt after bolt aside was any indication. It was nearly effortless now, at least at this difficulty, as it had been for weeks. Xel had always done something to sharpen his assets in his free time, even before all this Jedi training, be it his equipment or skills.

Where most _auretii_ boys were chasing after girls or screwing around with their friends, Caden was learning from two Jedi holocrons and dueling his brother. Where hologames were all the rage with young teenagers, Xel was deflecting bolts from practice remotes and levitating objects in the middle of casual conversation, just to prove he could. Though pride was ordinarily quite...destructive in training, Telia found Xel's to be far more inspirational, at least to him. She supposed that was because it wasn't pride in himself alone, but in his merits as a professional. Telia wistfully reminisced that Xander had been the same way during the Clone wars.

As she watched her son make short work of a level 3 remote drill, Telia couldn't help but feel a slight pang in her chest and pressed her hand against it with a grimace. It had been four months, four months knowing her love was gone and never coming home. Four months that she'd known they would never be a family again. The drawn-out sound of her own deactivating lightsaber reached her ears as she realized she'd been frowning at the floor. Xel made his way over to her a few moments later, having noticed her condition though he may not have known the cause.

"You all right, _buir_?" he asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.

She smiled at him slightly and nodded. "Mhm. You should...get on with your exercises."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a sarcastic look. "I'm in better shape than _Alen_, so you'll excuse me if I'm comfortable enough to reduce my regimen a bit."

She rolled her eyes emphatically. Alen wouldn't take kindly to being called weak, or even being implied as such. As opposed to Xel, her older son's pride was far from productive, and sometimes got him into trouble, though not often enough to merit too much concern. For all his maturity in the Force and as a Jedi, Alen had not gotten quite as far as a human being. _Maybe because you kept him stuck on this mountain all his life._ Shoving that thought away for the moment, she refocused on Xel, who didn't buy her excuses and redirections.

"I'm fine, Xel. Just...thinking."

"Yeah, hard enough to bring down a ship. Even with your mental blocks up, I can feel how much your mind's running all over the place."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Well, in that case, I'll try to think less, keep from distracting you."

His lips tightened. "You're not distracting me. You're concerning me. Infinitely worse."

Her eyes softened as she smiled at him and drew him close in an embrace. "You know, for all your rough exterior, you're a big softie."

"Hey," he complained.

She smiled wider and added quietly, "Just like your father." That shut him up right quick. Slowly, they pulled apart and locked gazes. "Xel, you may not know it, but I see more and more of Xander in you every day." She ran her fingers through his recently-cut hair, the inch-long locks already starting to curl slightly. "His strength. His tenacity." She cupped his face in her hands. "His loyalty." A small tear streaked down her cheek as her voice cracked. "He would be _so_ proud of you."

Xel's face fell slightly before he smiled a little.

She knew it was forced and sighed internally. For all her and Alen's assurances, Xel still blamed himself for Xander's death, even more so since he figured out he'd been the beacon that drew Vader. There was something...different about his guilt though. It wasn't just self-blame, that was maybe, _maybe_ ten percent of what he felt. The rest...was something else she couldn't nail down, and wouldn't unless Xel opened his mind enough for her to see. And he hadn't, not for the past month and a half.

Despite her concern in this matter, Telia couldn't help but feel pride in her son's progress. Just a few months earlier, he couldn't have kept her out if he tried, not if she wanted to know something. Now, the only way she could glimpse his thoughts was by hammering on his shields, and she would never do something like that, not to her own son. As much as she wanted to satisfy her curiosity, Xel deserved his privacy, and if his familial concern for her was any indication, if he felt it necessary to tell her, he would. He trusted her enough for that, or at least seemed to.

Her dark brown eyes drifted to his dark blue ones, the orbs filled with a mixture of concern and forced mirth. The combination _really_ didn't suit him, and a sudden flash of anger swept through her. _Damn you, Vader. My son doesn't deserve this._ Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath and released her anger into the Force. Xel noticed.

"Still want to tell me it's nothing?"

Their gazes locked yet again until she sighed and sat in a nearby chair.

"It's about Dad, isn't it?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "How could you possibly have—?"

"It doesn't take a mind-reader," he explained, crouching in front of her and taking her hands. "I feel the same way." He hesitated a moment or two. "What the Empire took from us was unforgivable." His darkening eyes met hers. "And I have no intention of forgiving."

Her expression was carefully neutral, neither judgemental nor approving. Munit tome'tayl, skotah iisa. _Long memory, short fuse._ She squeezed his hands. _You really are so much like your father._ "I know, Xel, but you can't let it make you bitter."

His eyes narrowed slightly, the slight shadows making them look even darker. "And if it has already?"

She shook her head slowly. "Then root it out. That's not how my son should be. Ever."

He looked away, his expression turning passive. A few moments passed before he released her hands and stood, scooping up her lightsaber from where he laid it and returning to the remotes.

_He's running._

_"Of course he is."_

Her head snapped to a doorway where Alen was standing, arms crossed, a grim expression on his face. _"How long have you been standing there?"_

His lips tightened. _"Long enough."_ He strode to stand next to her, eyes tracking Xel's progressively more fluid motions. _"He's getting better. Much better. I think he's going to pick a long-term style soon."_

She smiled slightly. _"Think you can predict which one?"_

He snorted. _"With him, anything's possible...except Soresu."_ He smiled slightly. _"He's _way_ too aggressive for that."_

_ "What about Makashi?"_

He shook his head. _"Makashi takes patience. Still too aggressive for it. Shii-Cho is too basic."_

_ "So that leaves four, five, six, and seven."_

Alen scratched his chin as Xel leapt across the room, deflecting a bolt to his side before rolling under another from his front. _"See that move?"_

Telia nodded. _"Shien Deflection. You think he'll take form five?"_

_ "Possible. He _is_ Mandalorian, so 'walking tank' is kind of in the job description."_ Alen's ice-blue eyes widened as Xel employed a Circle of Shelter before leaping over a remote in front of him and spinning to face it midair. Alen let out a sharp breath and flung a hand up to motion to his brother's actions. _"And then he pulls stuff like _that._"_

Telia tightened her lips and nodded. _"Swift Flank. Juyo."_

Alen watched for a few more minutes before throwing his hands up. "I give up," he said aloud, slumping into a nearby seat.

Telia cocked her head, intrigued. "Since he keeps switching between styles, maybe he'll go for six."

Alen looked at her sideways. "Niman? I don't know. Balance doesn't really seem to be his thing. Not with saber combat, at least."

She shook her head slowly. "In whose opinion? Certainly not mine. His approach _is_ aggressive, I'll give you that, but he acknowledges its shortcomings and tries to compensate with defensive techniques."

Alen cocked his head. "Maybe. I wonder, is it conscious or subconscious? His compensation, I mean."

She watched Xel for a few seconds, only half her mind actually present. "Well, the first time he faced the remotes, he employed a Soresu technique without even knowing it, so...no, I don't think so. I think he just acts on instinct."

Alen quirked a smile. "'Feel, don't think,' huh?"

She nodded slowly. "Precisely."

"Hooyah, _gar mir'shebs_!"

Telia's eyebrows shot up at Xel's whoop as he deflected a series of impressively difficult shots, flipping backward to dodge a second volley and landing with a flourish that intercepted two more bolts.

"Uh," Alen started, "what does that mean?"

Telia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't wanna know."

…

"So you guys want to keep whispering to each other or let me in on the secret?"

Telia looked up at him as her lightsaber deactivated. "It's no secret. We're just debating which lightsaber style you're going to choose."

Xel nodded as he walked toward the pair, offering Telia her weapon and cocking his head to the side. "I don't know. I was thinking Juyo for a while, because it's so unpredictable, but...I don't know. Seems really..." he shrugged noncommittally, "eh, just not my style."

"So?"

He thought for a few moments. "I don't know. I want something that complements my armor but allows me to function outside it, you know?"

"Soresu could do that."

"Yeah, but it stresses too much defense. I need some offense." He was silent a while longer. "Ataru leaves me too open, and I'm not _nearly_ acrobatic enough for it, _especially_ in armor. No offense, _buir_, but Niman? Way too impure."

Telia raised an eyebrow, but Alen beat her to the punch. "So that leaves form five. Have you decided which tier to focus on? Djem So, maybe?"

Xel chewed his cheek for a moment. "Nah. Too flashy."

"The 'flash' is there for a reason."

"I know, I know, just…I don't have the aptitude to make it practical. Not yet. So Shien it is."

Alen leaned over to whisper in Telia's ear. She nodded after a second.

"What?"

The two Jedi shared a furtive grin.

Xel crossed his arms and stared.

"It'd be perfect," she said to Alen.

"_What _would be perfect?"

"I'll go get it," Alen said with a grin.

Xel gave Telia a dubious look, and she smirked in response.

"Got it!"

Dark blue and brown eyes swept over to Alen, who was holding a small brown box. He handed the container to his younger brother, who gave Telia a sideways look before opening it, his eyes widening as he perceived its contents.

"What—is this?"

"It's called a Ruusan crystal, extremely rare and quite powerful. According to the holocron, it helps its user focus the Force."

Xel picked up the crystalline solid and turned it over in his hand, feeling it warm ever so slightly at his touch. "And why did this come up when we were discussing lightsaber styles?"

"Because the more you can focus," Telia explained, "the better you can wield one. Of course, the crystal won't be nearly as powerful as it could be until it's actually installed into a lightsaber."

An excited twinkle leapt into Xel's eyes. "You mean…I'm going to build my own."

She smiled and nodded slowly. "Soon. We'll have to gather the materials, which, with Imperials looking out for any such acquisitions, will take a while. In the meantime, you should have Alen help you access lightsaber schematics on the holocron."

Xel nodded excitedly and glanced pointedly at his brother. "What are we waiting for?"

Alen looked to Telia for approval, to which she only smiled and shook her head at her son's antics. "All right then. Let's roll."

…

"This…actually doesn't look all that complicated. Basic power source, solid chassis, focusing lens. These are all basic components of standard laser cutters, just on a higher scale."

"The real trick is the focusing crystal," Alen explained. "Without it, the laser would just keep going, like a cutter."

"So, the crystal causes a polar shift to keep the light within a certain range from the hilt, making it more concentrated and powerful."

Alen smiled and nodded. "Exactly. How did you know about the polarity?"

Xel pursed his lips. "When I was learning about Force powers from the holocron, he mentioned something called Force Lightning and how to defend against it with a lightsaber."

Alen gave him a strange look.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just…it took the holocron guardian years to reveal that to me."

"Well, he didn't tell me any details, just the name and basics of defense. Not too hard to figure out what it is when you hear the name."

Alen raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Fair enough. So, you think you can do this?"

Xel shrugged. "Sure. Be a little tedious, but I think the advantages more than make up for it."

Alen turned his own lightsaber over in his hands and smiled. "Got that right." They were both silent a while as Alen thought hard, looking at his brother, then toward the room where their mother was and back again. "Hey, I'll ask Mom, but…I think we can find at least a few of these parts at the local spaceport."

"Well, the energy cell's easy. In fact…" Xel's eyes narrowed and expression softened a little before he leapt to his feet and strode out the back door, Alen close behind him.

"Where you goin'?"

Xel didn't answer, but instead strode up the entrance ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_, through one doorway after the next until he reached the med bay, shuddering a little as memories of his last few visits arose, then shoving them all away. He'd hardly been on the ship in the last few months, and only ever to tend his armor, get some solitude, or update Uncle Teras on his progress. The Zabrak was quite enthusiastic about the possibility of coming to visit, and after much debate and concern, Telia had agreed. After all, Teras was a hunter too, and even if Imperials were tracking the movements of all Cadens in the hope of catching Xel, he knew how to lose them.

Xel stepped past the empty berth to find what he was looking for: his father's discarded blasters. Everything had been left untouched, whether because it was too painful for him to do otherwise or it simply slipped his mind. Xel had a feeling in the back of his head that he was using the latter as a cover for the former. Pushing that thought aside, he reached over to Xander's DD6 and took it to the armory, disassembling it on a nearby workbench. Alen was looking over his shoulder, silently admiring his nimble fingers as they worked the small parts of the weapon until the energy cell was exposed. Reaching in with a pair of pliers, Xel tugged at the small part until it came loose, splicing the wires so the cell would go inactive and wrapping them around the cell.

He raised the device to Alen's view, its metal body still gripped in the pliers. "One high-energy Diatium cell acquired."

Alen's jaw dropped. "I thought cells with that level of output were only installed in blaster rifles."

Xel grinned. "Nope. This gun was my—our _buir's_ pride and joy. Well, that and his knife."

"Which you now have."

The younger boy's smile faded a little. "Yes. Mandalorian iron—_beskar_. Extremely effective."

"As effective as a lightsaber?"

"Maybe not, but it can be used against one with no ill effect."

"Yeah…" Alen scratched the back of his head. "I remember the saber instructor mentioning something about that."

"Which means my armor'll come in _real_ handy if I'm up against a saber-wielder."

…

Alen narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't like Xel's tone when he'd said that. "I'll bet," he said evenly, stepping back into the hallway and pretending to observe the ship's interior. He would have to tell Telia about this.

"All done," Xel said, tucking the cell into a small oil cloth and tying it closed, the bundle going into a drawer in the armory.

They walked down the ramp together, and Alen suddenly felt the need to change the subject. "So, our uncle. When's he coming?"

Xel pursed his lips and shook his head. "Don't know. He didn't give me a date. So do we still want to go into town?"

"Maybe," Alen said pensively. "I'll go ask Mom."

Xel nodded and headed off to the 'fresher.

"Ma."

Telia turned toward him and smiled slightly, the mirth fading at his expression. "Alen, what's wrong?"

"I—" He hesitated a while. "I don't know. I think something's wrong with Xel. No, not wrong, just…" He sighed. "I don't know."

She took his hands in hers. "What happened?"

"Nothing, he just said something on the ship, that his armor would come in handy against a saber-wielder."

Telia gave him a sideways look. "And?"

"It wasn't what he said, it was the way he said it, like…I don't know, like he was some kind of predator."

"I…don't understand."

Alen sighed and shook his head. "It's probably nothing, it's just…I could feel…malevolence laced in his tone. Hatred, even."

Her eyes widened. "Of us?"

"Woah, no. No-no-no…I don't know what exactly, but it's not us."

Telia's expression changed subtly as she put the pieces together, releasing his hands and pacing away.

"What? What is it?"

She sighed and closed her eyes. "How could I not have seen this?"

"Seen what?"

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Vader."

Alen looked at her confusedly for a few seconds before his eyes widened to their max in realization. "He…he can't be serious."

"He's a Mando," she stated simply. "They're _always_ serious about stuff like this."

"But…but that's crazy."

She opened her mouth to speak, but rapid steps from the stairs alerted her to Xel's approach.

"So can we?" Alen asked, mentally asking her if they could go to the spaceport to prevent suspicion.

She pursed her lips hard, gaze flickering to Xel briefly before nodding.

"Yes," Xel whooped with an arm-pump, running out back to the ship and returning in armor a few minutes later. "You ready, _vod_?"

Alen exchanged a look with Telia before nodding slowly and reaching for a jacket. "Ready."

…

Aurora Spaceport, Obroa-skai

"So, it's not just one lens, but a series of 'em."

"Exactly."

Xel nodded slowly, helmet tucked under his arm as they browsed one of the many tech hubs on Obroa-skai, both imported and exported goods displayed. Xel reached down and picked up a particularly expensive lens, the curved transparisteel looking much like a light-splitting prism in the fading sunlight.

"Ah, ya got 'n eye f' quality," the booth owner, an inquisitive-looking Devaronian, drawled.

Xel eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."

"See that there, that's 'n Uoti CL-7. First and only of its kind."

"What does it do exactly?"

"Well," he said, taking the lens and holding it up to the sunlight, "see that?"

The white light from Obroa-skai's sun was bent and refracted into a rainbow of colors. "Yeah?"

"Well, when ya put this li'l baby inta a lasa cutta, it automatically filtas out any impurities in tha light—"

"Finding the most powerful frequency available."

"Exactly." The Devaronian grinned in delight.

"So how much?"

"Well, considerin' 'ow I go' it, I'd say…13K."

Alen sputtered out water from the flask he'd been drinking from. "Thirteen? Could practically buy a _ship_ with that."

"I agree," Xel said much more evenly and a little threateningly, the Mando mercenary shining through. "Not that I don't have the capital, but…that's quite a hefty price."

"Trust me, friend, if you knew what I had to go through to get this little baby…"

Xel's dangerously narrowed eyes stopped him midsentence.

"But, uh, of course, since you probably have such a busy schedule, you prob'ly don't wanna hear the…story." His expression continued to fall and morph into a frightened mask as Xel practically broadcasted his displeasure. The Devaronian gulped hard. "So we'll say eight and call it a day?" For a few moments, the Mando seemed ready to explode, but then his features softened and a small smirk crossed his face as he reached into a pouch at his belt.

"Pleasure doing business with you." He dropped the appropriate creds into the alien's open palm, then retrieved the lens and tucked it into an armored compartment on the right of his belt. They both strode away, Xel suppressing a grin, before rounding a corner and bursting into laughter. "Did you see his face?" Xel asked between breaths.

"Yes," Alen replied in the same tone. "That was mean, man. Even for you."

Xel shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Well _someone's_ gotta be the bad cop in our relationship, and it sure as _haran_ isn't gonna be you...like, ever."

Alen shook his head slowly, still grinning. "Come on, let's go before you decide to intimidate that Gran."

Xel glanced over at the alien in question, the large figure's triple eyestalks flashing back and forth. His smile faded slowly as he felt a ripple in the Force, opening himself to feel it more. It was coming directly from the Gran and a few others nearby, and although he still didn't have a full grasp of the gamut of emotions expressed by sentients, this one needed no study. Xel exchanged a look with his similarly disturbed brother, and an image of a coiled predator flashed into both their minds simultaneously.

_"Crime imminent," _Alen thought to him.

_"Agreed. Let's get out of here."_

As Xel started for the exit, Alen grabbed his arm. _"What do you mean, 'out'? We're just gonna let them do it?"_

_ "You _do_ know we have to keep a low profile, right?"_

_ "Doesn't mean we sit idly by and let scum do their work."_

Alen turned back toward the Gran and took a few steps toward him, reaching for the left side of his belt before Xel grabbed his arm in turn. _"You pull that saber and you might as well throw up a flare to the Empire."_

Alen rolled his eyes heavily. _"You think I'm that stupid?"_ He lifted the flap of his jacket that covered the left side of his belt, revealing a blaster holstered at his hip and an ever-so-slight lump under the folds of his tunic.

Xel's eyebrows raised slightly. _"Okay then."_

Alen slowly drew the weapon as the predatory feeling from the Gran and his partners intensified, Xel donning his helmet at the same time. The alien approached the Devaronian's stall slowly, a little too slowly, his right hand reaching under his coat to grab something. The moment he drew the blaster, three weapons rang out at once, none of them belonging to the brothers.

"What the hell?!" Xel yelled, diving for cover behind one of the stalls as the four thieves started shooting up the bazaar.

"I don't know! They don't seem to be targeting anything in particular!" A blaster bolt landed barely two inches from Alen's face, and his eyes widened as Xel's teeth clenched behind his faceplate.

"You sure about that?"

Alen popped from cover in response, sending a trio of shots from his pistol into the nearest thief, a human male who dropped barely a second later as red plasma burned through him. Xel, not to be outdone, followed suit, drawing both MA pistols and pumping shots left and right, more in suppressing fire than actual attacks. It worked. The thieves were immediately forced on the defensive and broke off their attack on the merchants to get to cover. The Gran's backup focused their fire on Xel as soon as they saw the Mandalorian t-visor, which suited the Mando just fine. His jetpack triggered a second later, taking him in an arc over the entirety of the market as he spun his body in a circle, firing downward and tagging one of them.

He was stunned by his own performance. Before his training, Xel would never have even considered flying upside-down to throw the enemy off-balance. It was too disorienting, like zero-g. Now, not only was he doing it, but managed to down a target with ease. The Force really was amazing. As his boots planted on the ground, Xel rolled to the side, dodging a trio of shots sent his way by the Gran. The other remaining thief was nursing a leg wound, probably from Alen, and joining his comrade's firing line. Xel debated sending a wrist rocket into the mix but immediately decided against it. It would be no more than gratuitous destruction, and there was no way he was going to incur that much collateral damage on the shop owners. Instead, he reached out to Alen and told him to flank the bunch. The injured thief found himself on the wrong end of a stun blast when the Jedi got within range.

Realizing this, the Gran sprinted for the exit, barely dodging a shot from Xel and rounding cover as the Mando pursued. The alien thought quickly and ran toward a frightened family, snatching up one of their smaller children before any of them could act. The parents and remaining children shrieked in tandem as their relative was hauled off as a human shield between his captor and the chasing Mando. Xel's eyes widened behind his visor.

_He did not just…_

The Mando's teeth clenched as he scowled hard, raising his blasters and aiming carefully.

"Back off!" the Gran warned in his guttural language, his blaster pressed to the boy's neck. "Back off or he gets it!"

Xel scowled even harder, if that was possible, but lowered his weapons slowly.

"Fool." The alien raised his blaster and fired once, nailing Xel dead center.

He let the force of the blast knock him off his feet, playing dead when he had barely felt the impact. The Gran's coarse laughter reached his ears as he stepped closer, still holding the boy tightly as he raised the blaster to Xel's helmeted head. _Idiot,_ Xel thought, _that _still_ won't hurt me._ Faster than lightning, the Mando's armored legs wrapped around his blaster hand, angling the barrel away and sending his shot into the duracrete floor. Xel's right hand raised and index squeezed before he realized he'd dropped his blasters in his act. Cursing, his hand reached down to his hip and whipped out his knife underhandedly, the _beskar_ blade stabbing into the Gran's leg.

Yelping in pain, the alien struggled harder and kicked Xel in the head, the impact jarring him enough to release his blaster hand. Xel delivered a sharp kick to the weapon itself, sending it clattering to the floor and him running again as he regained his footing. The alien ran toward a nearby door to a secluded maintenance tunnel, throwing the child aside as he limped through. The boy's head impacted against the hard duracrete wall, and Xel's heart stopped for a second as he reached out with the Force.

"Xel!"

Caden glanced behind to see Alen running toward him, then looked at the open door and felt an unstoppable surge of hatred pass through him. _A kid…he's just a kid._ His teeth ground together hard as he ran after the escaping thief. "Take care of him!" he ordered his older brother, pointing at the immobile child as his family rushed to his side. Xel didn't bother looking at them anymore, a red haze beginning to cloud his vision. _A _kid_!_ An animalistic roar came from his helmet's filters as he chased down the Gran, leaping to tackle the burly alien and pelt his shoulder and torso with blows. The alien shoved him off almost effortlessly and clambered to his feet, a fast hook knocking Xel back two steps despite his successful guard.

_What the hell? This _hut'uun's _kriffing strong._ With that in mind, Xel feinted with a right cross, instead opting for a low kick to the alien's injured leg, his knife coming loose even as the Gran roared in pain. As Xel crouched to retrieve the weapon, his opponent kicked him in the head—hard. The boy's head spun as he tried to reorient himself, instead finding his enemy driving him back further and further. His anger kept rising with every passing moment, every fiber of his body telling him to fight back while also screaming its pain. A hastily aimed shin kick landed in the alien's lower ribs, temporarily jarring him out of his rampage and allowing Xel some breathing room. Using the Force to dull the pain, he leapt toward the Gran with a flying cross, the blow landing solidly on his left cheek and staggering him.

But his opponent was not to be so easily defeated. The blows they rained down on each other nearly shook the deserted room they were in until Xel was thrown against a nearby pipe, the metal denting heavily with the impact.

"Ow," he groaned quietly as he tried to stand, his limbs shaking with a mixture of pain and adrenaline. Before he could respond, the Gran hauled him to his feet and yanked his helmet off one-handed, that same hand curling into a fist and driving straight into his head. The world spun as he fell, the alien allowing him to stagger to his knees as red filled his vision completely. _Get up_, he told himself. _Get up!_ His body refused to obey. The Gran bodily lifted and threw him across the room, his body rolling to a stop a second later. The massive alien advanced slowly, savoring his victory as blood streamed from Xel's face, the Mando struggling to a kneeling position.

Caden's eyes shut and teeth clenched in a mixture of pain and frustration. _I've taken on _Nikto _before. Why am I failing? _The image of the young boy's limp body filled his mind's eye, and his heart wrenched painfully. _Why have I failed…again?_ Distantly, the click of the Gran's boots against the metal floor reached his ears, the steps getting closer by the second. _I failed him._ Xander's face replaced the boy's. _I failed him…_

And in an instant, that defeat, that despair, was replaced by an inferno, a raging tempest of heat fighting to be released. And he did.

"Enough!" he roared, his right hand raising toward the alien, fingers curling in a clawing motion as the Gran sputtered to a stop, both hands going to his neck.

His three eyes kept opening and closing haphazardly, the eyestalks turning every which direction as his fingers desperately tried to loosen the invisible grip around his neck. Which was when he felt his feet left the ground. All three eyes widened in horror as he saw a foot-long gap between him and the floor, those invisible fingers tightening even further as Xel's fingers drew closer together. His outstretched hand, his entire _body_ was shaking in white-hot rage.

"A child," he said in quiet menace. "You assaulted a _child_. You are a _worm_, not even worthy to fall at his feet and beg forgiveness!"

If possible, the grip around the thief's throat tightened even further, and black spots swam at the edge of his vision.

"Xel, stop!"

A small part of Caden recognized the voice, but he never took his focus away from the miserable _chakaar_ floating in his grasp.

"He's all right, Xel! The kid's okay! Let him go!"

The pieces started to click in his head. _Kid's alive…family's intact…attempted murder, not successful. _His eyes widened slightly as the red cleared and he realized where he was and who was talking to him. Immediately, his hand relaxed and dropped, the Gran falling flat on the ground as a result. Alen's brown-clad figure rushed past him, his right hand going over the fallen thief's head as he searched for life in the Force. A relieved sigh left him before he stood and slowly turned to Xel, his eyes glaring daggers at his brother.

Xel, for his part, was staring at his hands much the same way he had on Nar Shaddaa. _Again. I did it again._ He looked up and met his brother's harsh gaze. "I—I didn't mean to—"

"Yes," Alen interrupted sharply with a scowl, "yes you did." A few tense seconds passed before the Jedi kneeled again and put his hand on the Gran's head. Fifteen seconds later, and he got up again, looking a little more tired than before. "Let's go."

Xel nodded numbly, recalling his helmet with the Force and tucking it under his arm as he followed. "What did you do to him?"

Alen looked at him, still glaring. "Force Persuasion. Made him forget you used the Force."

Xel gulped hard. "Thanks."

"I didn't do it for you. If anyone finds out there are Force-sensitives on this planet, we're all in jeopardy." He scoffed. "I expected you to know that, but I guess you lost too much control to care."

He couldn't meet his brother's eyes all the way back to their speeder, or on the ride back home. Alen was right, and he knew it. He had well and truly failed, just like before.

And he could only hope his actions hadn't been noticed by anyone else.

* * *

AN: Most tracks mentioned, if not all, can be found on grooveshark dot com

Musical Inspirations

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - Zam the Assassin: 9:47-10:14—"Enough!" to Xel's release; 10:14-end—Xel's release to end of chapter


	11. Dha Wherda Verda

"If anyone finds out there are Force-sensitives on this planet, we're all in jeopardy." He scoffed. "I expected you to know that, but I guess you lost too much control to care."

He couldn't meet his brother's eyes all the way back to their speeder, or on the ride back home. Alen was right, and he knew it. He had well and truly failed, just like before.

And he could only hope his actions hadn't been noticed by anyone else.

…

1 hour later

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 3 months BBY

"_What_ were you thinking?!"

Like his brother, Xel couldn't meet Telia's intense gaze as he responded in a near-whisper. "I wasn't."

"Exactly. You weren't." Telia was pacing, her breath heavy with barely controlled anger. It was a side Xel had never seen before and Alen only rarely. Both could understand her state of mind.

"I'm sorry," Xel added in the same soft tone.

"You're _sorry_? You cut loose, release your anger, nearly _kill_ someone, and you're _sorry_?!" She laughed mockingly. "Let me explain something to you. Even _without_ our Bond, I felt your anger from halfway across the planet, so who's to say the Empire's Jedi Hunters couldn't feel you from halfway across the _galaxy_?!"

Xel kept his gaze directed downward as his mother glowered at him.

"Mom," Alen said quietly, surprisingly calm for his previous state of mind.

With effort, Telia took a deep breath and exhaled the majority of her anger, some still simmering under the surface. "Xel, you _cannot_ afford to slip up like that again. Ever."

He gulped hard and nodded, eyes pricking and throat closing. When Telia reached out through their bond to see what was causing his reaction, her fury completely melted away.

"Oh, Xel," she breathed, her arms curling around his shoulders and holding him close. When she closed her eyes, the darkness was invaded by a clear picture of Xander's face, and Xel's monumental feelings of guilt and shame washed over the Bond. His face pressed against her shoulder, silent tears running into her tunic. He made no sounds, no movements. It was as if he were a crying statue. Telia nearly winced when she felt his feelings vanish and his side of the Bond slam shut.

Slowly, he extracted himself from her embrace and stood up, retreating to his room with a stone-cold expression and leaving both mother and brother gaping.

…

Inside, he was a complete and utter shipwreck. It was just like that day on Nar Shaddaa, except he _knew_ he could use the Force and _chose_ to, to such an extent that he practically threw up a flare to anyone looking. An iron fist tightened around his heart. _I'm so weak, so foolish. So childish._ He sat on his bed hard, head falling into his hands. _That weakness is going to get them both killed, or worse._ He looked up at his door. _I can't put them through that. Can't lose anyone else._ He rose slowly, as quietly as possible, and headed for his door, using the Force to lend silence to his steps and making his way down the hall toward the back, where his ship was waiting.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Xel stopped in his tracks, features setting as he turned to his brother. "I'm leaving."

Alen's eyes narrowed.

"I'm putting you both in danger being here. I can't control myself, not when I get like…that."

"And you think running away will change that?"

Xel turned to face Telia, who effectively cut off his path to the door. "No, but at least you'll be safe." His gloved fists clenched. "I can't lose anyone else."

"And you think _we_ can?"

His blue eyes met her brown ones, flickering to Alen's for a moment before returning to the floor. _So selfish._ A small, bitter chuckle came from his throat as his fists relaxed. He blinked back the returning sting in his eyes, muscling his way through and keeping his composure. "There's been enough breakdown today." His eyes returned to Telia's. "I'm sorry," he added evenly.

Before she could respond, there was a loud knock at the door, and all three of them jumped a little. Telia unclipped her lightsaber and strode cautiously over, checking the peephole and widening her eyes in surprise before opening the door.

"So," the man on the other side said as the boys approached, "is this a bad time?"

Xel practically sprinted within view of the entrance and grinned as he saw who it was. "Not at all, Uncle Teras."

…

As it turned out, Teras wasn't the only one who came. He'd somehow convinced Elek to take a break from his foundry duties and bring Cerril as well. One of the first things Xel noticed was the new scar on Ril's left cheek and the slight smirk he always seemed to have whenever someone looked at it.

"I trust your trip was uneventful?" Telia asked.

Teras smirked and exchanged a look with Elek before shrugging. "Of course."

Telia rolled her eyes and sighed. "Teras, you've never been particularly good at lying to me."

The Zabrak grinned. "Only when I want you to ask about it. Before we left, we were…accosted by some Imps who wanted to hire us as trainers for the Imperial Academy on Mandalore. Told 'em to _usen'ye_."

Her eyebrows shot up as Xel and Ril giggled in the background. "Bet _that_ went over well."

"Well, _they_ came to _us_ to give that 'offer,' so trying to force the matter would have ended…badly."

"For them," Elek added.

As they chattered on, Xel turned to Ril and whispered, "So what's with the scar? You get in another drunken fight?"

Cerril's smirk turned into a full-on grin. "Nope. Well, not drunken, anyway." His gaze locked with Xel's.

Barely a flicker from his Force Sense was enough to give him a clue. "Ril, no." His friend nodded emphatically. "Her?" He nodded again. "You _do _know that girl's trouble, right?"

"Yep, but she's _my_ kind of trouble."

Xel sighed and shook his head. "What happened exactly?"

"Ooh, stories?"

Xel's brows furrowed as he looked back to see his brother leaning his head between them. "Never took you for the gossiping type."

Alen grinned as he summoned a chair with the Force, visibly unnerving Cerril. "Never really had the chance to. Please, don't stop on my account." He rested his chin on his palm, looking at them both intently.

Sighing heavily, Cerril returned his attention to Xel. "Well, you see, ever since that night, I've kinda been the laughing stock of Clan Vizsla, so…I decided to go for a rematch."

"And let me guess, she beat you even while sober."

Ril grinned wider, if that was even possible. "Nope. It was actually a draw. I had reach, she had flexibility." He laughed heartily. "You shoulda seen the looks on some of the Vizsla kids' faces. They were actually _betting_ on our match."

"_Di'kute,_" said Xel with a shake of the head. "For or against you?"

Cerril snorted. "What do you think?"

"So that draw must have been quite a slap."

"Yep. And they weren't the only ones upset about it."

"So you went back for round three."

"Mhm, just not in front of the others. _That's_ how I got this scar." He punctuated this statement by drawing his index across the indent on his cheek, cocking his head to one side. "Well…not exactly _during_ the match, more like…immediately after."

Xel's eyebrows knitted until both he and Alen reached out with the Force, whereupon both their expressions changed, Alen's in confusion, Xel's in fierce embarrassment.

Ril laughed at them both, his cheeks starting to hurt from all the smiling. The seventeen-year-old was clearly on Cloud Nine.

Xel shook his head, the red still failing to leave his face after a good twenty seconds. "So you two are—"

"Very much together." Cerril leaned back, using his knitted fingers as a headrest. "And _very_ happy."

"Clearly," Xel muttered as Alen turned to him in confusion. They locked gazes. "You don't wanna know."

Ril looked at Alen in disbelief. "You mean older brother doesn't know about—"

"I'm sure he knows, he just doesn't know what it feels like."

Ordo's eyebrows shot up. "And you do?"

Xel blushed again, scratching the back of his head. "Well, no, I mean…I've never—"

"Then how—"

"I know your expressions, and with that feeling, it's not too hard to put together."

"Okay," Alen interrupted, "would you two stop being so inside-jokey and tell me what's going on?"

"No!"

"Yes!"

The disoriented Jedi looked between the two young Mandos, eyebrows raising as they gave each other very different looks, Ril's a kind of mad glee, Xel's a flustered grimace. "Okay," Alen said finally, raising his hands placatingly, "fine, I don't want to know."

Cerril looked genuinely put out. "You sure? I mean, you're a _jetii_, but I'm sure we could find you a—"

"No," Xel interrupted sharply. "Absolutely not."

"But come on."

"No, Ril. He's still innocent of your…debauchery, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Alen's eyebrows shot up. "Debauchery?"

"B-But—" Cerril protested.

"No, Ril. I mean it."

Ril sighed heavily and slumped in his chair. "Fine. Fine, be a spoilsport."

Xel shook his head as his eyes rolled. Desperately trying to change the subject, he turned to Elek and Teras and made a decision. "Hey, Uncle Teras!"

The Zabrak looked his way. "Hm?"

"Should we show them?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Show them what?"

Xel grinned.

"Oh. That." Teras glanced at Telia. "Well, she's already seen it."

"Alen hasn't," Xel pouted.

Teras sighed as he got to his feet alongside Elek. "But these old bones—"

"Are gonna hold up just fine." Xel smiled wider at his brother's confused expression and winked as he and the other three Mandos lined up in the open central room.

"Ready?"

"Ready," all three answered in unison as their postures and stances straightened, each of them mimicking the other.

Xel's grin faded to a small smirk. _Hold onto your hat, Alen, 'cause you're about to see one of _my_ skills._

And all at once, they began.

"_Taung—sa—rang—broka—Man—do—'ade—ka'rta_!"

Fists beat against chests, both of the men and the men next to them, alternating in a rhythmic beat of drums, armored fists on chest plates, that matched the cadence of their chant perfectly.

"_Dha Wherda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu_! _Duum motir ka'tra nau tracinya_!_ Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a_!"

The fists kept beating, firm blows that were so perfectly and precisely executed, Alen began asking himself whether they were Force-users. As if sensing his train of thought, Xel just gave him a feral grin, slowing his beats to a low drone with the others.

"_Kom'rk—tsad—droten—troch—nyn—ures—adenn_!"

The beat picked up again with loud, resounding strokes, each of them once again in perfect cadence.

"_Dha Wherda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu_! _Duum motir ka'tra nau tracinya_!_ Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a_!"

…

The beat kept going as they fell silent, rapid and unyielding, like a Mandalorian charge on the battlefield, and in the throes of the chant, Alen felt a slight chill run down his spine. The…dance, for lack of a better term, was truly intimidating. The discipline required, the coordination…he hadn't thought them achievable to such a high degree without the Force, and at that moment, he realized he'd read Xel all wrong. As the drumming again rose to a fever pitch, they all began chanting again, their voices even louder and more forceful.

"_Dha Wherda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu_! _Duum motir ka'tra nau tracinya_!_ Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a_!_ Dha Wherda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu_! _Duum motir ka'tra nau tracinya_!_ Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a_!"

The drumbeats went choppy to allow the chanters to employ more force, the resounding blows ringing through the whole house as they finished with a universal and powerful expulsion of breath.

…

_I don't think he realizes how far open his mouth is hanging._ Xel couldn't help but grin as he and the others broke their line, his armored arm going around his brother's shoulders as he kept staring, his gaze wandering to each of them until he shook himself.

"Wow. Just…wow." Alen shook his head again. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like that."

"Nor will you outside of visiting Mandalore," Elek responded, clapping his son on the shoulder.

Telia was smiling at her sons, arms crossed.

"And you said I was too sloppy and uncoordinated," Xel teased, jabbing Alen in the ribs with his index.

Alen scrunched up his face and shoved him away playfully. "Shut up." His grin belied his "fury."

Xel shrugged. "Just saying."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Well, you always make me feel inferior, I just figured I'd return the favor."

Alen arched an eyebrow at him. "Revenge is never the best course of action."

Xel's smile faded to an almost imperceptible degree, but Alen noticed. "Maybe, but in this case, I'm willing to settle for second best."

…

"So what brought you here now?" Xel asked. "I mean, you've wanted to come visit for a while, so…"

Teras mirthful expression darkened a bit, and he reached for a bag on the floor near the dining table, lifting and setting it on the surface, then opening its flap and reaching in. He hesitated for a moment before drawing out something curved and metal and offering it to Xel. It took the teen a few seconds, but eventually the truth dawned on him and his eyes widened in recognition.

"Is…is that—?" he choked out.

"Yes. It's…all I could recover. I'm sorry."

Xel took the metal in both hands, his gloved thumbs running across the surface as his eyes welled up. "How did you get a hold of this?"

"Apparently, a bunch of _beskar_ was suddenly floating around Nar Shaddaa's undercity markets after the fact, most of it being bought up almost immediately. That was the only bit I got back."

Xel gulped and nodded slowly, a small, sad smile coming to his face. "Thank you." He got up and pulled the larger Zabrak into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you so much."

…

The six of them stood in a semicircle in the house's rear courtyard, the light of their small bonfire illuminating the metal surface of the item in Xel's hand. He knelt solemnly.

"What's going on?" Alen asked Teras almost inaudibly.

The Zabrak leaned toward him. "Since Mandos die on the battlefield, and very often in explosions, there usually isn't much of a body left to identify, so their memories are commemorated with armor pieces." He nodded toward Xel. "That pauldron is all I could find of Xander's."

"Oh," Alen said quietly, bowing his head in reverence.

Xel closed his eyes and opened his mouth, his voice ringing clearly through the still night air. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum_." His eyes opened and he stayed crouched for a while, absently listening to Teras explain the ceremony to Alen.

"'I'm still alive, but you're dead. I remember you, so you are eternal.' It's a traditional Mandalorian remembrance of the fallen."

A small hand laid on Xel's shoulder as his falling tears sizzled in the fire. His free hand grasped Telia's, and he stood slowly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thank you, Teras. All of you. I…I don't really think I came to terms with it until just now."

Teras laid a hand on his other shoulder. "It's the least we can do, _ad'ika_."

As they all went inside one by one, Xel stayed behind and opened his right hand, staring at his father's right pauldron and the red symbol of Mandalore emblazoned on it. His eyes narrowed and fingers closed around it as he reached to his own right shoulder and disengaged the grip-seal on his pauldron, pulling it off and fastening his father's to it. The curved plate was a little bigger than the one he had before, but to such a small degree that he hardly noticed the weight. The spare pauldron went into a pouch at his belt as he walked inside the house, his mother having noticed his absence. When she and the other Mandos saw the new shoulder piece, they all smiled solemnly and nodded to him.

Alen once again felt utterly left out.

…

As they all headed for bed, Xel felt heavily bittersweet. His father's funeral had given him some closure, true, but there was still the matter of his killer. Not only that, but Teras and the others were leaving in the morning, after being there barely a few hours. All three of them apparently had other business to take care of and couldn't stay. He couldn't blame them. As he leaned back in bed, his armor stacked in a corner of the room, his mind wandered in every which direction, sleep slowly taking control, or so it seemed. He slipped into a half-conscious state, his eyes fluttering closed as he started hearing eerily familiar voices in his head.

_"_Dha Wherda Verda_. The chant they performed. It means 'Rage of the Shadow Warriors.'"_

_ "I see. Why do you seem a little…disturbed by that?"_

_ "Do I?"_

_ "You definitely _feel_ that way."_

_ "Maybe…maybe it's because it reminds me of where he gets it from."_

_ "What, his rage?"_

_ "Yes…he was brought up learning to use it."_

_ "So do we just train him not to?"_

_ "We've been trying that, and not only does he refuse to, but he has consciously chosen his anger."_

_ "So what do we do? If he has another outburst like today—"_

_ "I know the stakes, Alen. I just don't know how to help him. Maybe we should stop his training. At least for a while, until he learns to control his anger properly."_

_ "What reason would we give?"_

_ "The truth. For all his irrational and emotional decisions, Xel listens to cold, hard reason."_

_ "I hope you're right…Mom, I don't ever want to have to fight him."_

_ "Well of course not, but…why do you say that?"_

_ "I just…seeing him today, outside of training, in his natural element…it unnerved me just how good he is. I can only imagine what his skills were like before, but with the Force…I'm not sure I could stop him if I tried."_

_ "Then let's hope we never have to."_

_ "Hope, Mother? That's something we haven't got a whole lot of these days. And if Vader—"_

_ "Vader won't touch him. Or you. I'll die before I let that happen."_

_ "Mom…if you do that…you know he'll hate you for it."_

_ "Yes...I know, and I need you to be strong, because if it does happen—"_

_ "Wait…do you feel that?"_

_ "No…wait, yes. It feels like…oh Force!"_

With that, Xel's eyes snapped open, and he realized with startling clarity that he'd been eavesdropping on his family. He'd subconsciously accessed their Force Bond in his sleep, a touch that didn't give away his presence because it was so light. He bit his lower lip as he felt them both outside his closed door, tension flowing off them in waves. He forced his body to relax and turned over, feigning sleep while furiously suppressing the urge to cry. _How could they think I would ever betray them…to Vader? _Tears fell silently, soaking his pillow as he drew the covers around him like a Force Shield.

The two Jedi outside his door left believing he remained unaware.

* * *

AN: Another pair of short chapters, another two-day release. Look for more tomorrow.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Republic Commando – Rage of the Shadow Warriors: chant of the _Dha Wherda Verda_ (because the song was tailored to Republic Commandos in the track, some of the words are changed to suit the Republic instead of Mandalore)


	12. Trust

With that, Xel's eyes snapped open, and he realized with startling clarity that he'd been eavesdropping on his family. He'd subconsciously accessed their Force Bond in his sleep, a touch that didn't give away his presence because it was so light. He bit his lower lip as he felt them both outside his closed door, tension flowing off them in waves. He forced his body to relax and turned over, feigning sleep while furiously suppressing the urge to cry. _How could they think I would ever betray them…to Vader? _Tears fell silently, soaking his pillow as he drew the covers around him like a Force Shield.

The two Jedi outside his door left believing he remained unaware.

…

Two days later

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 3 months BBY

A gloved hand ran over the barrel of a Mandalorian Assault Pistol, the grooves felt even through the microionized _beskar_ weave of the crushgaunt. A cleaning rag followed not long after, the item used to clean the weapon in a rote, mind-numbing process.

"Xel?"

A black eyebrow arched very slightly, but the eyes below never left the blaster.

"Xel, you in there?"

_You already know the answer,_ he thought absently.

The rapid approach of steps alerted him to the interruption of his solitude. "Are you intentionally avoiding us?"

Xel sighed softly, pulling the rag back to complete the shine of his blaster's finish, then inspecting the barrel for carbon scoring. "Maybe I just want to be alone."

"You've been alone for the past two days."

"So? I've been around you two for the last four _months_. I think I'm entitled to some alone time, _vod_."

His brother frowned and crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe of the _Kandosii'tal's_ armory. "Did you have this much when you lived on Mandalore?"

Xel hesitated barely a moment before continuing his maintenance. "More. I'm tired of all the noise. Need a break." He rose from his chair, blowing dust off the pistol barrel and placing it back in the holster belt slung over a nearby hanging peg. He strode to the crew quarters, taking a plasma torch from his bed and heading back to the armory. A welding visor went over his features as he set a chunk of durasteel down on the workbench and started melting sections of it away.

Alen watched him silently for a long time. "So what are you doing?"

Xel's sigh was barely audible over the hiss of his plasma torch. "Making a shell."

"For what?"

He turned the torch off and lifted his visor, holding up the durasteel to the light and scrunching up his face at the marred surface. "_Haar'chak._ It's _supposed _to be for my lightsaber."

Alen's expression darkened slightly.

"Which I know you won't let me build anyway."

His brother's eyebrows shot up. "But we never—"

"What, told me I was barred? No, you didn't." He tossed the ruined metal into a trash bin and picked up another ingot. "I decided to save you the trouble." He huffed as the plasma torch activated again and his visor went down. "Doesn't mean I'm done learning. See, you can't stop me from doing that."

Alen was silent a long time. "Xel, we—"

"Just have my best interest at heart, I know." The torch shut off. Xel pulled his visor off and tossed his tools aside, setting the metal where it would stay untouched, then cleaning up and heading down the ramp. This wasn't a conversation to be had with Alen alone. Half a minute passed before he found Telia. His eyebrows rose.

The Jedi Knight was taking on eight remotes at once, deflecting bolt after bolt in a non-stop pattern of arcs and parries, her feet hardly moving and eyes shut.

"_Shab_," Xel breathed out, his eyes hardly able to track her lightning-fast flow of moves, her blade a whirlwind of emerald light. _That kind of skill…can I ever hope to match it?_ His eyes drifted to an inactive holocron, and he frowned. _Not if I don't get new resources._ He didn't notice the stop in the remotes' firing patterns until Telia's lightsaber deactivated.

…

"Xel."

His head snapped in her direction.

"I wanted to tell you a while ago, but…we're stopping your training for now."

He nodded. "I know. I understand why, to a degree."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "To a degree?"

"I understand how my…lack of control might put you both at risk of discovery, but…" He looked away, expression twisting in slight anger and pain. His dark eyes met hers in an intense stare. "Vader?"

She paled a little.

"You honestly think that I would _ever_ betray you to him? Or anyone, for that matter? You're _family_. _He_ killed my _buir_. He tried to kill _me_." His fists clenched and a heavy breath left his body as his tone turned pained and eyes drifted down. "Mom, do you really think so little of me?"

Two firm hands gripped his shoulders. "Never, Xel, but you have to understand something. You will never know just how tempting the Dark Side is until you face it, and though I desperately hope you never have to, the reality is that someday, you will. I love you, son, but I'm afraid for you if and when that happens. Your anger, your rage and hatred, all of it counts against you when facing servants of the Dark like Vader. They'll turn those feelings against you, twist you into something you're not, all with the promise of power."

He looked at her. "I don't _want_ power. I just…I just want to live."

"The Dark Side is rarely so obvious. It'll disguise itself as freedom, or protection, or the ability to save those you love. It corrupts ordinarily pure desires and forces you to surrender more and more of yourself until the person in the mirror is unrecognizable." Her hands tightened around his shoulders. "I can't bear the thought of losing you like that."

Gloved hands grasped hers as he looked into her eyes. "Then trust me, _buir_." His expression set in certainty. "Trust me when I say you won't."

There was something in his voice, in his expression and stance, that pushed a button in her head. The Force whispered in her mind, and the pieces in it so excited and disturbed by his rampant emotions suddenly settled. A staggered breath left her as her mouth opened and eyes widened in surprise. What she felt coming from him, rolling off in waves…it was like Xander had never left.

_Balance,_ a small voice whispered in her mind. Telia smiled as she recalled the memory, her house fading to the background of her consciousness as she practically felt the cold floor of the _Venator_-class Star Destroyer under her feet, smelled the metal of the parked _LAAT/i_ gunships and acrid scent of engine fuel. The warmth of Xander's hand against hers, his bare index drawing patterns on her arm as they watched a Rylothian sunset. The reassuring cool of his armor against her back. The small, whispering voice in her ear as he opened himself to her in the Force, allowing her to sense every dreg of his feelings, every scrap of hate, love, resolve, anger, longing.

As she opened her eyes, the dark blur in front of her materialized into her son, who was staring at her with those same piercing eyes, different in color but not in quality. He cocked his head slightly at her sudden lack of focus, or so she thought. A small smile came to her face as she gripped his shoulders a little tighter.

"I trust you, Xel." She pulled him into a hug, pressing against him tightly, as if her hold were all it took to keep him in her life. _I don't want to lose him to the Dark Side, but if I keep pushing him into my mold instead of his natural bent, I'll lose him to his resentment._ "And I'm sorry if I've done anything to make you think otherwise."

He pulled away gently. "Does this mean my training's back on?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Not yet. I'm still not comfortable with how badly you let loose the other day."

He avoided her gaze. "I'm not either, but stopping my training isn't going to help with that."

Telia pursed her lips. "Fair enough, but the holocrons can only tell you to keep your anger in check. They can't teach you how." She backed up a few steps, using the Force to activate several remotes at once. "I can."

…

Without warning or prelude, all four remotes fired at once, the sharp zaps resonating through Xel's _beskar'gam_ though the armor deflected the worst of it. In reality, all he felt was a slight punch whenever the bolts hit him, but as he'd decided months before, the true damage of these remotes was psychological. Despite his evasive maneuvers, Xel kept getting shot repeatedly, a small chunk of his professional pride dying with the zaps' contact. Gritting his teeth, his mind raced for options, reaching out to the Force and Gripping two of the remotes, sending them flying into two others before ducking a zap from the unaltered one.

Using Force Focus to effectively slow down time, Xel spotted Alen's lightsaber hanging on his belt and reached out to it, calling it to his hand within the space of a second and thumbing it on to deflect two bolts from returning remotes. As he settled into a familiar pattern of Focus and defense, Xel closed his eyes and used one hand to activate the saber's nonlethal function, just in case things got out of hand. A zap got through his defenses, and he grit his teeth as his anger rose.

"_Use it,"_ a voice whispered.

His eyes opened and locked on to Telia, who was standing with her arms crossed just twenty feet away. _Use it,_ he reminded himself, smiling malevolently and taking that internal spark in both hands. As he reached out to the Force, he felt a rush of power flood into his system, not as powerful as what he'd felt when he saved Alen or so uncontrollable as when he'd nearly killed the Gran, but just enough to keep the remotes at bay while allowing him room to breathe and think about his next move. With this rush of confidence came a startling realization. His anger wasn't really fire, it was fuel. What that fuel was used for was his decision, but he had to decide or risk letting it decide for him.

Focusing in the Force, he kept the remotes at bay with relative ease, struggling just a little more when Telia upped their difficulty setting. _Telia!_ _Of course!_ Since he had decided to focus on the Shien style of saber combat a few days earlier, Xel had done all he could to learn about the form, even going so far as to access the holocron behind his mother's back. As he'd told Alen, they couldn't stop him from learning. That said, Shien wasn't just meant to defend you against multiple opponents, it was meant for counterattack. With remotes, the point of the exercise was defense, so counterattack was virtually useless…or so he'd thought.

Deflecting two more shots and spinning his blade in a wide arc to intercept three others, Xel called on the Force and leapt over a couch, rolling on impact to fall into a sprint toward the source of their direction. Telia's eyebrows shot up as her son sprinted straight for her, saber going to position four at his back to deflect an incoming bolt, then swinging at her center mass. The Jedi ducked the strike, unclipping her own saber as the remotes chased, but not activating it. Xel adapted quickly, spinning back around and executing a 360 degree slash at her midsection that never landed.

"Sarlacc Sweep?"

Xel simply smirked and pressed forward, almost absently deflecting two shots and ducking a third as he lunged toward her again, settling into a pattern of slashes and thrusts, all of which were dodged by the highly experienced Knight until she was backed into a corner. Green met blue in a flash of light and sparks, Xel grunting as two shots zapped him in the back. He pulled away, executing a tight backflip after briefly deactivating his saber, then reactivating it upon landing to catch four bolts in quick succession. His eyes widened as the green glow of his mother's blade approached. _Uh-oh._

Xel blocked a strike at his leg followed by a neckward slash that he ducked. Zap-block, slash-duck, combat roll. His teeth clenched as he tried to put some distance between them. _Shien's a lot harder to pull off than it looks in the holocron._ A slash at his arm was deflected and countered with an upward cut. Telia sidestepped it and motioned for one of the remotes to flank him. Xel also motioned, but he sent the remote clattering into a wall, temporarily taking it out of the game as he kept her relatively infrequent attacks at bay, repeating the same tactic with each of the remotes in turn until it was only him and Telia.

He pressed the attack, trying to break her focus on the remotes and keep them out of the fight. Her blade met his again and again in a blinding series of flashes and explosive sizzles, both of them calling on the Force more and more, the house around them fading into the category of irrelevant noise as their duel intensified. She was holding back, and he knew it, so he pressed the attack, practically slamming their sabers together and actually adding Force to his strikes. The new tactic threw Telia off a bit, and she withdrew for a moment to reassess her situation. When he charged forward and leapt into the air, she rolled to the side, barely dodging his downward-cutting Falling Avalanche.

But that small margin was intended.

As she spun to face him, climbing to her feet simultaneously, her blade slashed horizontally, grazing his chest armor as he withdrew. Immediately, she followed this strike with a Force Push that sent him careening into a nearby couch. Xel awkwardly rolled off the cushions to his feet, throwing up his hand to Push a reactivated remote into its partner and Force Jumping the distance to Telia, curling and flipping midair to dodge another zap. As he fell toward her, a sharp feeling of unease ran through him, his mind wondering at the smirk on her face until she raised her hand and increased the rate of his descent.

"Woah!" he yelled, throwing up his forearm and saber as she sidestepped out of the way, slashing both his defensive measures as he flew past her. Xel clambered to his feet, thrusting his saber toward her blindly and having it knocked from his hand a moment later. _Big uh-oh._ Even knowing her saber wasn't lethal at the moment, he couldn't help but feel fear at the lightning-fast thrust she directed at his chest. His eyes snapped shut and hands closed into fists. The sizzles of lightsaber contact reached his ears, as did Telia's sharp intake of breath. When he opened his eyes, he could see why.

Both his hands were wrapped around her blade, actually holding it in place just three inches from his chest plate. His eyes widened.

"How?" he asked. "I mean, I know it's non-lethal, but…it always hurts."

She looked down at his hands and smirked. "Of course."

"What?"

Telia withdrew, and he released the blade as she deactivated it. "Your gloves."

"What about—?" He stopped in his tracks, looking down at the crushgaunts. "Oh," he breathed in realization, Alen's confused figure approaching in his peripheral vision.

"What's 'oh?'" he asked.

Telia and Xel looked at him, then at his gloves. "Mandalorian crushgaunts," she said. "Made with a microionized _beskar_ weave."

"So…oh Force, you've gotta be kidding me." Alen approached, mouth wide open, grabbing his brother's hands and inspecting them. "He can catch lightsaber blades?"

She smiled and nodded.

"That's…"

"Useful?" Xel suggested.

"Amazing. I'd never heard of anything like that before."

"There's a lot you don't know about Mandos."

Alen scrunched up his face a bit. "Startin' to think it'd be in my best interest to." His blue eyes locked with Xel's. "And I'd like you to teach me."

"We'll _both_ teach you," Telia said, looping arms around both their shoulders. "No reason Xel should be the only one learning."

Alen was silent a while. "It's a shame it took me so long to realize that."

Xel thought about it for a few moments. "Well…I can't say I blame you for not considering it. After all, Mandos, war, anger. I represent all those things, and I'm so completely opposed to the way you were raised. I get that it'd be a little off-putting."

"Well…consider me 'put on.'"

…

Imperial Center

"Have you found him?"

"No, my lord, but I have narrowed down his location to the Obroa-skai system."

Darth Vader was silent for so long, his apprentice began to think he hadn't heard him. "I see…and how to you intend to rectify this lapse in knowledge?"

The silver-eyed man kneeling at his feet bowed his head and pursed his lips. "I am…considering several options."

"I'm waiting."

"A trap, my lord. We will have to draw him out."

"With what bait? What do we have that he could want?" Vader knew the answer to that question, but he left its acquisition to his apprentice. _For all his time in my service, he is still lacking._

Suddenly, the pale man's eyes widened and a small smirk settled onto his face. "You, my lord. Xel Caden is Mandalorian, and in my research, I have found them to be a vindictive people. If you are seen in the Obroa-skai system, he may attempt to take his revenge."

Vader smiled behind his helmet, striding away and folding his hands behind his back, once again staring out into the dense metropolis of Coruscant. "I see." His eyes closed as he recalled a memory. They opened a moment later and focused on his kneeling guest as he once again verified his suspicions. "He is not alone."

The man's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"When I slew his father on Nar Shaddaa, I could feel the hint of his presence, even after he jumped out of the system. His anger was like a signal flare, obvious but imprecise. Barely two days later, that presence and anger vanished."

His apprentice rose to his feet. "You mean…someone is concealing him?"

Vader looked out at the metropolis again. "More likely, someone is _training_ him."

The man got his meaning. "A Jedi. Caden is under the protection of a Jedi."

"Which means we must have supplemental bait, one for the boy and the other his guardian." Vader could see the gears turning in his apprentice's head.

"I see, my lord. I will…meditate on this."

"See that you do," Vader ordered with a point of his finger. "Failure in this matter will _not_ be tolerated. If he vanishes because of your incompetence…"

The man bowed low. "I understand, my master. I will not fail you."

"Then you are dismissed." With a whirlwind of black cloak, Vader strode away from his apprentice back toward the window, crossing his arms as he stared up into the night sky. _That boy will be mine. Let the Jedi try to defend him._ His mechanical right fist clenched hard. _Not even the Force can save those who oppose me._

* * *

AN: Hope you're all enjoying the story so far and having a wonderful new year. Just wanted to let you guys know that as much as I love writing this, without someone to appreciate it, my story is meaningless. Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Your reviews and comments and readership keep me going as much as my love for the universe, so thank you. I hope you're looking forward to more next week. Thursday releases are back on then.

_Oya, ner vode._

\- CDrake


	13. Deceived

With a whirlwind of black cloak, Vader strode away from his apprentice back toward the window, crossing his arms as he stared up into the night sky. _That boy will be mine. Let the Jedi try to defend him._ His mechanical right fist clenched hard. _Not even the Force can save those who oppose me._

…

2 weeks later

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

1 year, 2 months BBY

Telia was excited. That much at least was apparent to her two sons, but the cause for such excitement eluded them until she approached.

"Well, Alen, it looks like our stay here finally paid off."

The brothers exchanged a look with raised eyebrows, returning their eyes to her.

"The Imps missed something."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Huh?"

"The archives," Alen breathed out, some of her excitement filling him. "She's talking about the archives of the Jedi Academy."

One of Xel's eyebrows raised. "You mean…they found Jedi artifacts."

Telia nodded, smiling slightly as she placed a holoprojector on the table between them. "Yes, and one in particular."

A familiar cube-like object greeted the trio.

"A holocron," both brothers said in unison.

"Exactly. Under heavy guard and scheduled to be moved sometime within the week."

Xel gave her a confused look. "Moved? Why not destroy it like everything else?" "Holocrons aren't like normal devices," Alen explained. "They're crafted not only from metal and circuitry, but with the Force as well. That, like lightsabers, makes them difficult to destroy. Most of the time, they're even sturdier than lightsabers."

"Right," Telia said. "The holocrons they found on their first sweep also had to be moved offworld, all the way to Coruscant, for disposal."

Xel raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean?"

"If they were moved to Imperial Center, that means that either Vader, the Emperor, or both, were involved. Why would someone as power-hungry as those two destroy potential weapons, even if they _are_ of Jedi origin?"

The Knight's eyebrows raised and corners of her lips turned slightly upward. "Good point. It _would_ take some time, but…history tells how the Sith managed to corrupt certain holocrons, thereby overriding the safeguards within. I have no doubt that the Emperor has access to such power, and given enough time, he could most certainly crack them."

Alen shook his head slowly. "I'll never understand the Sith. Never understand their _insatiable_ hunger."

Xel had to suppress a smirk and forced his face to remain neutral as he spoke. "Considering we're both going through puberty, growth spurts and the like…"

Alen looked at him funny. "What?" He looked genuinely confused for a second before he rolled his eyes and groaned slightly as Telia let out a small chuckle.

Xel just leaned back in his seat, grinning smugly. "See? _She_ gets my jokes."

"And on that note," Telia said, cutting into Alen's glare and thumbing the holoprojector, bringing up a series of maps and schematics. "The transport convoy will be taking it from the Celebratus Archive here—" she pointed out a large, regal building in the interior of Obron City, "—to Aurora Spaceport here." The holomap drifted several miles to the location in question, a red line indicating the transport's likely route. "The holocron will be kept aboard an Imperial Troop Transport." An image of a long, truck-like hovercraft with heavy armor and a small turbolaser cannon on the top replaced the city. "Ray shielded, heavily armored."

Xel stroked his slightly scruffy chin. "The _Kandosii's_ cannons can crack that armor with one or two passes."

"And attract every TIE Fighter in the system," Alen added, voice almost scolding. "Honestly, _vod_, do you _want_ us to get caught?"

"Well, no, but…"

"But what?"

A small, amused smile came to Xel's face.

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

"You called me '_vod_.'"

Alen's eyes drifted off, mouth slightly open, before he shrugged and quirked a smirk. "So I did."

Returning their attention to the projector, the brothers watched and listened with professional attention as she laid out the plan.

…

1 day later

The Executor, Kuat mobile shipyard, location unknown

"The move is set to happen tomorrow at noon local time."

"And you were sure to supply just enough information to pique their interest?"

"I was, master. Every step has been meticulously planned."

Vader nodded and strode down the dark halls of his flagship's bridge, long, heavy strides taking him across the room. "Well done." He turned his head to an Imperial officer. "Lieutenant, prepare a shuttle to depart to the _Retribution_ and tell the captain to plot a course to the Obroa-skai system."

"At once, Lord Vader." The officer saluted crisply and spun on his heel, fast-walking out of the Dark Lord's home.

"We will soon have the Mandalorian at our mercy, my lord."

Vader glanced at his apprentice before resuming his pacing. "No. I will retrieve the boy and eliminate his guardian. _Alone_. You will remain here and await my command."

The man's silver eyes widened slightly. "My lord, you attempted capture on Nar Shaddaa alone as well, and he escaped you." He didn't notice the stiffness in his master's stance as he halted. "If we take him together—" His next words were instantly cut off as his trachea slammed shut, his feet slowly lifting off the ground as he clawed for air.

"Did I stutter?" Vader asked, voice lowered dangerously.

"N-No master."

"Because it would seem that you have failed to heed an order, and you are simply not stupid enough to do that."

"M-My lord—" he gasped.

"Since it would appear you misheard, I will repeat myself. _I_ will go to the _Retribution_, journey to Obroa-skai, and capture Xel Caden…_alone_." Vader's fingers relaxed, dropping his apprentice to the floor in a coughing, gasping heap.

"V-Very good…master," he got out between coughs, eyes drifting up to see Vader's cloak billow with movement.

"So it is." Vader began walking with purpose, this time toward the exit. He halted in the doorway. "Defy me again, and your punishment will be far more severe."

Lord Keldon, apprentice of Darth Vader, grit his teeth and bowed his head as low as possible, using all his Force talent to veil and suppress his monumental hatred as he responded in a contrite tone. "Yes, my master."

…

1 day later

Obron City, Obroa-skai

"Xel, you linked?"

Caden tapped the side of his helmet. "Here, over."

"The transport should be getting loaded now."

His eyebrows furrowed inside his helmet. "Loading? Loading what? It's one holocron."

"Exactly," Telia responded. "It's one holocron, so adding more extraneous cargo—"

"Would decrease the chances of potential thieves finding it a dozenfold. How do _we_ find it then?"

"Holocrons are made with the Force, so when in the presence of one, its signature will act as a beacon to your Force Sense. As long as one of us makes it inside, we should be able to pinpoint it within seconds."

Xel smiled wryly. "That's assuming my dear brother can get the ray shield down."

An adolescent snort was all he got over comms.

"Xel, don't tease him. He's been working with wires since he was old enough to talk. Speaking of, how's the alarm going?"

"Gimme a minute," Alen responded agitatedly. A soft metal clang came a few seconds later. "I'm in." A minute or so passed before his side of the link came online again. "Crap."

"What's wrong?" Telia asked.

"There isn't just one transport. There's three."

"_Osik,_" Xel spat.

"This…is a setback…but not to worry."

"How is this not worry material?"

"Three transports, three of us."

"That wasn't the plan," Alen pointed out.

"Plans change," Xel responded, shouldering a Plex missile launcher.

A high-velocity rocket streaked from the weapon, smashing into the blast doors of the loading dock and carving a hole large enough for a transport. Xel leapt off his twenty-story perch in a swan dive, dropping ten stories before igniting his jetpack and arcing upward, turning his downward momentum into diagonal velocity and shooting through the gap within seconds. A half-second after he entered, a dozen E-11s and DL-44s rang out as both stormtroopers and local security mounted a defense. A well-placed wrist rocket silenced half of them either with death or heavy injuries, a full-auto burst from Xel's pistols taking out another two before the Mando made it to cover.

Quickly inspecting himself for injuries, an eyebrow raised as he didn't notice a single scratch or char mark. Xel hadn't even realized how fast he'd been moving. Another DL-model blaster rang out, but Xel recognized a slight difference in the noise and smiled, popping out of cover to lay down another salvo. The remaining eight Imps had quickly found cover, but the security forces were cut down within seconds, unequipped as they were for the simultaneous assault of a Mandalorian warrior and Jedi Knight. Sprinting to closer cover, Xel plugged a stormtrooper in the elbow, crippling his gun arm before he retreated behind a crate.

"Launch the transports!" one of them, a tan-pauldroned commander, said.

At once, the three armored hovercraft began moving, using the hole Xel made to make their escape.

"Get after them!" Telia shouted.

Xel nodded and fell into a sprint, using the Force to increase his speed threefold and catching up to the rearmost, and slowest, transport within seconds. Apparently they hadn't had time to activate the ray shields, as he boarded the craft with no issues. As he crawled toward its rooftop hatch, he put a finger to his helmet.

"Alen, where are you?"

"Kinda busy," he responded through a burst of static. "I'm taking the front transport. Did my shield hack work?"

Xel's eyebrows raised. "Well, I haven't been incinerated or electrocuted yet, so I'd say yes. Did you get all three?"

"Barely, but yeah."

Shab_, he _is_ good._

"I'll take the middle," Telia said from Xel's right, causing the boy to jump a little.

He hadn't even noticed her land next to him. "Woah, no. _I'll _take the middle. There's at least a twenty-foot gap between each transport. I've got a jetpack, you don't, and if you miss, there's no way you'll be able to catch up at these speeds."

She pressed her lips together and nodded in acknowledgement.

Xel turned forward and called on the Force for guidance, sprinting toward the edge and the second vehicle, taking a Force Leap and using his jetpack to add thrust. Hovering for a moment, he landed on his target with no difficulties. That is, until the roof hatch opened and released a stormtrooper commander. Two E-11 rounds pinged off his armor before he returned fire, stifling a curse at the portable energy shield his opponent activated on his left wrist. The 2-foot-wide blue disc deflected every round Xel threw his way, and although the Mando was faring just as well in his _beskar_, the collective energy of the shots was beginning to seep through. It was just a matter of time before the stormie's blaster found a gap.

Calling on the Force, he Focused hard, his body responding instantly and snapping in several directions, dodging the commander's shots for a few moments before he rolled under another salvo and closed the ten-foot distance. Xel fired his MAP, tagging the commander in the shin. The white plastoid was ruptured but held, and the commander managed to keep his footing. He swung his shield at Xel's neck as the Mando closed the distance, the blue disc sizzling over his head as he ducked the deadly strike, planting a solid uppercut on the commander's armored chest. He barely staggered before swinging the shield again, slicing through the supplemental antenna on Xel's helmet as the boy drew his knife.

The _beskar_ sunk into the man's left hip, eliciting a harsh cry of pain before Xel ripped it out and shoved his helmet off, head-butting him solidly and tossing his agonized body off the side. The plastoid-clad soldier rolled to a stop as the transports streaked by, Xel making his way to the rooftop hatch and punching the controls. The portal hissed open a moment before he dropped in feet-first, both pistols drawn. Much to his surprise, the truck was driving itself. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he scanned the transport for any Force signatures. Instead, all he got was an image of a coiled predator. His eyes snapped open in alarm as he triggered his jetpack, shooting out the hatch a moment before the entire vehicle exploded.

"Xel! _Xel_!"

"I'm okay!" he shouted back, hovering just forty feet over the flaming wreck, chest heaving as adrenaline rushed through his system. "I'm okay. Be advised, the decoy transports are rigged to blow."

"Got it," Alen grunted, the sounds of blaster fire coming from his end. "Don't think this one's a decoy though. They're putting up a fight."

"_Buir_—"

"I heard," she replied instantly, her tan-clad form shooting out the roof of the rear transport as Xel approached, running toward the front of the vehicle and him. "It's gonna blow!"

"I gotcha!" he shouted back, outstretching his hands as he got close.

Telia Force Jumped with a grunt, reaching out and interlocking her fingers with his as he flew away, her former position now a flaming pile of durasteel. "Get us to the front!"

"On it!" Xel used his integrated HUD to trigger a strong burst from his jetpack, carrying them all the way to the air above the vehicle before it turned sharply, crashing into a nearby building.

"Alen, you all right?"

Several coughs preceded the Jedi's response. "Yeah, fine. One of 'em's got the holocron though."

"Copy. Xel—"

"Got it." He dropped altitude and his mother a moment later, the Jedi rolling on impact as her son followed suit, absently noticing Alen sprint out of the wreckage to follow.

The three hunters ran after the courier, a fully armored scout trooper, pursuing him through one hall after the next and steadily catching up.

…

Telia grit her teeth as the trooper slammed a blast door in their faces. _Can't let him escape._ She held her hands at her sides, building power for a Force Blast before Xel laid a hand on her arm. Her eyes drifted to see Alen slicing into the door controls, opening them barely a second later and initiating the chase once again. The two Jedi and Mando kept up pursuit, the trooper barely fifty feet ahead of them. When he took a wrong turn, landing himself in a dead-end, a window at his front and his three pursuers at his back, the scout stopped in his tracks, holocron in a secure case at his hip, and spun toward them, drawing his sidearm in a flash.

Before Xel could plug him, Alen raised his right hand and made a clenching motion. To their surprise, the scout seemed to seize and choke for a moment before falling over. Mouth open, Telia scanned the man with the Force, finding him alive but unconscious. Both turned to the younger Jedi.

"What in _shab_ was that?"

Alen fidgeted a little. "Little something I started working on after the…incident a few weeks ago. I saw how you knocked the Gran unconscious by choking him and started researching anatomy. Turns out if you cut off blood flow to the brain for just long enough, you can knock most species unconscious without doing permanent damage."

A small feeling of professional admiration came from Xel as they approached the trooper's immobile body. "Any idea what you want to call it?"

"Do I need to?"

The Mando shrugged as Telia crouched and retrieved the case, using the Force to begin unlocking it. "Don't _need_ to, but…if _I_ created a Force technique, I'd want to make sure everyone knew it."

"So what do you suggest, 'Alen's Force Sleep?'"

Xel sputtered out a snicker. "Where the _shab_ did you come up with _that_? 'Course not."

Telia cut in, half her concentration kept on the container. "How about…Force Constrict?"

Both boys chewed it over for a few seconds before the move's creator shrugged. "I'd say it works."

The case popped open and holocron was revealed.

"And so does our _buir_."

Telia could feel the smiles on both their faces as she raised it and stood, her own smirk slowly fading. _Something's wrong._ Her eyes closed, and she focused on the holocron in the Force. _There's…nothing._

"No way," Xel said, agitated.

"All this way," Alen started in the same tone, "all this effort…for a decoy?"

Telia's eyes remained closed, scrunching even tighter as she focused in the Force, a supremely bad feeling in her gut until it was verified. Her eyes flew open as her expression turned fearful.

"No, Alen," she practically whispered. "Not a decoy." She spun around, facing a side door and igniting her lightsaber in one fluid movement, a slight scowl on her face. "A trap."

When the boys turned to face her object of focus, they too felt fear engulf them before snapping to separate emotions, one calm determination, the other fiery anger. Xel's blasters left their holsters and Alen's lightsaber joined Telia's, two glowing, humming blades and a pair of warm barrels facing off against Darth Vader and the two stormtrooper squads flanking him.

"Greetings, Jedi," his metallic voice boomed, bending slightly at the waist in a mocking bow.

"Whatever you want, Sith," Telia hissed, pointing her blade at him threateningly, "you won't find it here."

"Ah, but I already have."

She felt his gaze drift to Xel, whose aura was slowly but surely morphing into a vortex of black hatred. "You will not touch him, Vader."

"And who will stop me?" he asked, taking a step and shifting his gaze toward her, lightsaber in hand but inactive. "I have slain a hundred Jedi, Masters, Knights, and Apprentices. What chance do you and your protégé think you have?" His focus went to Xel again. "And you, Mandalorian. What place do these Jedi have in your life? They slaughtered your people at Galidraan, humiliated you, chased you across the galaxy. They have done so for centuries, millennia, ever since the time of Revan. They are not deserving of your loyalty or mercy."

"And you think _you_ are?" the Mando snarled. "_Buir_, give me the order. Let me plug this _chakaar_."

Suddenly, Vader's threatening feel changed ever so slightly, suddenly wrapped in a cloak of darkness and ambiguity, something that set Telia's nerves even more on edge. She wasn't sure whether Vader knew the meaning of the first Mando word from years of working with clones or simply the tone in which it was spoken, but one thing was for sure. The Dark Lord now knew they were related.

"Mother," he said softly, confirming her fears. "I see now that I've misjudged the situation." He actually seemed amused by the fact. His black, unyielding gaze went to Telia's eyes after drifting over the boys, seeming to bore into her skull. "Surrender, Jedi, and you will all be spared."

"To what end?" she retorted. "Capture and torture? Months of agony and brainwashing to break us into being slaves for your emperor?" She smirked sardonically and shook her head, setting her stance. "I don't think so."

Vader stood immobile for a few seconds, his presence alone beyond intimidating. "As you wish." A flick of his left wrist spurred his guards into action, half of them opening fire at once as Xel leapt sideways behind cover, the two Jedi batting bolt after bolt out of the air. The Dark Lord himself just stood there with crossed arms, admiring the skills of his opponents and focusing on one in particular.

Telia slashed through a commander's E-11 as she closed the distance, disarming and Force Throwing him into a pair of his troopers. A blaster bolt nearly tagged her in the leg, but a quick deflect by Alen saved her. She Force Pushed another trooper into a nearby wall, returning the favor and glancing sideways to see Xel laying down a crippling array of fire on the second squad. Two bolts tagged his shoulder and chest plates, causing her to wince, even though she knew he hardly felt it. A wrist rocket slammed into the wall behind one squad, showering them with molten rocks and shrapnel as he continued his pattern of fire.

Telia slashed her saber across a stormtrooper's chest, pushing him back into a cluster of his troops, then pulling another soldier into the path of her blade and tossing him aside. Her lightsaber was an emerald blur as Alen's was sapphire, one crimson bolt after the next deflected or redirected into the shooter until only four were left. Xel quickly gunned one down, sending the other three behind separate cover with another automatic salvo, his pistols running near empty. Alen charged for a pair, twist-flipping over their cover to deliver a horizontal slash to one's arm and a downward cut to the other's weapon.

Before he could do more, the young Jedi froze and dropped his saber, the weapon shutting off automatically as it hit the ground.

"Alen!" Telia shouted, eyes darting to Xel, who was engaged hand-to-hand with the commander, then back to her son, who was slowly being lifted into the air.

"You were correct when you said blood flow was the key," Vader boomed, one hand raised as he strode toward Alen. "Your method, however, is…unrefined. Allow me to demonstrate." Vader's fist clenched slightly, and the boy instantly went limp.

"Alen!" both of the others screamed in tandem, watching as the young Jedi's limp body slumped to the ground.

Telia stared in horror at her unconscious son, then looked at Vader, upper lip curling into a snarl as anger rose within her. Without warning, she leapt at him, twisting midair to land behind him and perform a sweeping cut at his legs. Vader leapt over the strike in a black blur, a sharp _snap-hiss_ heralding his entrance of the fight. Two fast horizontal cuts were deflected off the Darth's blade as he held her back effortlessly, his saber a red blur as Telia kept advancing. He gave ground slowly, intentionally, forcing her to extend herself more and more until he caught one of her strikes and shoved her blade aside, slashing at her neck and meeting empty air as she rolled to his side and once again tried to take out his legs.

A rapid sidestep on Vader's part once again got him out of her reach, and falling diagonal strike pounded her crouched guard, knocking her back into a roll with the powerful blow. She ran toward him in a diagonal motion, ducking another neck strike and running on a nearby wall, then springing off in a counterclockwise spin, adding force to a flying horizontal strike. His guard took the blow easily as he countered with one of his own, twisting his hips in tandem with a two-handed swing that nearly knocked her saber from her hand. Telia withdrew rapidly, eyes widening and breathing becoming labored as a slight degree of panic filled her.

_He's _impossibly_ strong, and it's like he can see my attacks coming._ The massive Sith approached, striding toward her at a quick, even pace. Her eyes widened further as she felt his intent in the Force, leaping backward to avoid a diagonal strike and diving to the side to dodge another lethal blow. As she scrambled to her feet, he slowly turned to face her, standing immobile just eight feet away.

"You cannot defeat me alone, Jedi."

Her gaze drifted around the room, looking for Xel, for any signs of Alen reawakening, any indication that she could make it. Her brown eyes met the unyielding black orbs of Vader's mask. "I don't need to," she said resolutely, igniting her saber again and setting her stance.

"You're right," another filtered voice said.

Her eyes twitched as new fear rushed through her, not for herself, but for the new combatant. Her dark gaze shifted to Alen's immobile body, to his fallen lightsaber, which shook and vibrated before flying behind her. A _snap-hiss_ reached her ears with a new and familiar hum, a dark feeling settling into her gut at its approach. The silver-and-blue clad figure of Xel Caden stood beside her, Mandalorian armor gleaming in both the noonday sun and pale blue light cast by his procured saber.

Telia's eyes widened at the sight, seeing the slightly taller Xander with her own lightsaber in her mind's eye, surrounded by flames and death. _By the Force…it really is like he never left._ Refocusing on the Dark Lord, she was surprised to find…amusement. It was hard to imagine, but somewhere behind that mask, Darth Vader was smiling.

And it terrified her.

…

Xel gripped Alen's lightsaber in both hands, the last five months of training coming back to him in a whirl of memories and feelings as a cacophony of emotions swirled within him like an unstoppable vortex. On one hand, there was fear, fear for his mother and unconscious brother, fear for himself against such an enemy, an enemy that had so easily disarmed him during their last confrontation. There was iron determination, as strong and resolute as the finest _beskar_. There was anger, anger at the man who had taken his father and now threatened to take his mother and brother as well, to rob him of the last traces of happiness he had.

Above all, though, there was hatred. Outright, black hatred that sunk its fiery claws into his heart and soul, twisting them around as they burned away at him, threatening to drag him into an inferno of agonizing pain. It was fighting him for control, and he it, but it promised power, the power to avenge his father and protect his family. If he simply let it take over…

His teeth slammed together as the three of them faced off, immobile, the battle now seeming to take place in the mind. Xel wanted to kill Vader. No, he wanted to cripple him, dismember and disarm him so that he could make him suffer before the end, inflict all the pain he'd been feeling for months because of what he'd done. A shuddering breath left him. _This…this isn't me._ He looked at his hands, as he had twice over the last few months after losing control. _I'm no sadist._ His teeth clenched determinedly. _And no slave._ With a strong blow, he shoved his hatred back, yanking the reins of control from its hands as easily as from a child. _It's _my _choice._

An angered hiss came from the black-clad figure in front of him, and Xel instantly knew that his hate was exactly what Vader was after. A smirk made its way onto his face as he mockingly saluted Vader with his saber. A sharp pang of fear from his mother's bond was the only warning he got before his enemy drove a vicious blow toward his torso. Xel snapped backward and raised his blade defensively, the sapphire shaft battered away by the Darth's horizontal strike. Shab_, he's strong!_ Vader didn't stop, repeatedly assaulting Xel as the boy struggled to keep up, his mother's side attacks batted away as if they were mere annoyances. Realizing he couldn't match him in a show of brute strength, Xel backpedaled. _Before I knew about the Force, I was a hunter._

He smiled confidently. _And a damn good one._ His jetpack carried him backward, well out of his reach, as his left hand drew a pistol and fired repeatedly. Vader deflected several shots with his blade before pivoting to the right to lock his saber with Telia's. _That's it!_ Xel fired at his exposed side, watching as the ionized plasma streaked death toward this long-hated Sith.

Only to gape in shock as he simply lifted his free hand and redirected the bolt into a wall. _Reflected it…he knows Force Reflect._ His teeth gritted as he reached out over Telia's bond.

_"Get away from him!"_

She glanced in his direction in confusion, barely holding her own in the lock despite Vader's obvious restraint, before pulling their blades apart and leaping backward.

Xel raised his left arm and clenched his index. _Reflect this you son of a—_

A wrist rocket shot toward Vader, who simply stood there calmly, raising a hand as it exploded in his face.

Xel outright stared as the smoke cleared, revealing an intact, albeit scuffed and scratched, Darth Vader.

"A pitiful attempt...by a desperate opponent." The Dark Lord reached out, latching onto Xel with the Force and yanking him closer, into the path of his blade.

The Mando recognized the move, as did his mother.

"Xel!" she shrieked, unable to do a thing though she tried to alter his course with the Force.

The boy threw his saber up in desperation. Ruby and sapphire collided for an instant as Xel flew past, rolling several times only to keep going as Vader slammed him against a wall, saber deactivating. Telia was smacked aside with a Force Push when she tried to intervene, the Darth resuming his telekinetic assault by slamming the Mando into one wall after the next, the boy's frustrated grunts and yells indicating his rising anger.

…

A blur of green entered Vader's peripheral vision, and he ignited his saber to meet it, catching her blade for barely an instant before she snapped back and aimed a thrust at his chest. A twist of his wrist redirected her strike, and he lunged at her neck as she ducked and planted a firm kick on his midsection. He was barely fazed, and advanced toward her, broadening his shoulders and raining down strike after strike, powerful vertical blows that took advantage of his superior size and strength to batter her defenses into nonexistence. Telia rapidly withdrew, practically heaving for breath as she considered her options.

When her gaze drifted to the open door, Vader leapt toward it, barring the way as surely as if he had been a phrik alloy wall.

"There is no escape," he boomed. "Not as you are." His head tilted slightly. "There is darkness in you, Jedi; I can feel it. Anger, fear, resentment, hatred even." He puffed his chest out tauntingly. "_I_ destroyed your love. I _slew_ him with my own hands." He paused to let it sink in, watching the expression on her face darken. "Now, release your anger! Do not deny the fire raging within!" He clenched his left fist for emphasis. "_Embrace_ it, as your son has!"

Her gaze drifted over to the boy in question, who was dazed and desperately trying to regain his footing. It went to Alen, who was still out. To the exit, still barred by Vader. Her teeth gritted as all her Jedi training strained against the monster begging to be released. In her mind's eye, she saw the Sith's black form lying in a smoking, charred heap at her feet, a mocking expression on her face as she severed his miserable head, taking vengeance for all the lives he'd destroyed, for her husband, her Xander. She looked back at Xel and narrowed her eyes, the urges faltering with every passing second before returning her eyes to Vader.

"No. That's not my way. Not my choice."

"So be it."

Vader raised his saber vertically, and Telia prepared herself for an attack, but not for what came next. Several tiles tore themselves from the walls, streaking toward her in a storm of ceramic hail. She dashed backward out of the way only to be smacked in the head by another object. Immediately, the Knight defaulted to a Soresu drill, her saber bursting one primitive missile after the next in a whirlwind of light until a candelabra tore itself from the wall and smacked solidly into her nose.

Telia shrieked as blood filled her face from the broken appendage, stumbling backward and leaving herself open to a Force Push that landed her on her back. Vader rapidly closed the distance, raising his blade for the finishing blow as the sound of jets was heard.

…

"Noooo!"

The crimson shaft raised and fell in a flash—smacking right into Xel's back as he flew between them. The sizzle of metal being cut reached the ears of all present and conscious, and even Vader seemed to hesitate for a moment. That was all Telia needed to blow him twenty feet backward, well away from her potentially fatally injured son.

"Xel," she said frantically, cradling his body. "Xel, talk to me, _please_!"

A firm grip fell on her shoulder.

"_Udesii, buir_." Xel rolled out of her grasp to show the damage. "See? Didn't even scratch me." Vader's blade had indeed cut through metal, but only the metal chassis of his jetpack. The _beskar_ underneath was blackened and slightly indented, but intact.

Telia heaved a sigh of relief, glancing back to see Vader storming toward them. The pair went in opposite directions, lightsabers igniting as they attacked in tandem.

But their opponent was no longer playing games.

Xel's rage-driven strikes were knocked aside like leaves in the wind and Telia's entire body shuddered with the force of the Dark Lord's deflects and counterattacks. Vader's crimson blade left two more char-marks on Xel's armor, in locations that would have killed him had he been wearing inferior material, before the boy was thrown against a wall and kept there by sheer force of will, the Sith locking blades with Telia and pushing her back step by step. She set her stance, but her feet slipped on the tiled floor as he pressed his saber against hers relentlessly, pushing her closer and closer to the window.

Caden saw what he was doing and widened his eyes in renewed fear. _No…no!_ Fire rose within him yet again, the old hatred he had denied before. Now, he took it in both hands, not releasing it like a wild strill, but taking hold of it as he did Alen's lightsaber. A guttural roar rose within his chest and released, shattering Vader's hold on him as his feet hit the floor, instantly falling into a sprint as he dashed toward the Sith Lord, saber flashing with his steps as he rapidly closed the distance. Xel leapt at his exposed back, blade held high and falling like a Force-powered avalanche on his enemy.

Only for his entire body to be slammed into the floor, creating a small crater as Vader pinned him with the Force, shoving Telia's blade aside and backhanding her solidly. Xel, just within reach, swung at his legs from the ground, missing wide as the Dark Lord flicked his wrist, flipping and smashing him into the ground back-first, then tossing him directly into his mother, driving them both to the edge of the window ten feet away. Sore, exhausted muscles worked overtime as the Mando fought to regain his footing, only managing to rise to one knee as Telia staggered to her feet and ignited her saber, body shaking violently.

…

"You are beaten," Vader growled. "It is both foolish and useless to resist further. Surrender now, and you may yet be allowed to live."

"Live?" she asked shakily. "Again I say, for what? Torture and agony at your hands and that of your emperor? A life of perpetual humiliation and servitude under our sworn enemy?" Her teeth clenched. "I. Don't. Think so."

"You. Have. No. Choice."

_There's always a choice,_ Xander's voice said from a memory. _Is there?_ she thought, looking around herself frantically. Xel had all but collapsed. Alen was out of commission and only starting to show signs of waking. Her exit was blocked by Vader. Her saber shut off as she finally understood. There could be no victory for her and no escape. Realization flashed through her. _For _me_._ She looked at Alen again, at his position just beyond Vader and between her and the exit door, looked at Xel, who was between her and the window. Her eyes widened. _The window!_ A quick glance confirmed her fears. A fifteen-story drop awaited anyone crazy enough to try it.

_Crazy enough…or brilliant enough?_ Xander's voice again flowed into her thoughts as she closed her eyes. A plan instantly formed in her head, cool confidence settling into her gut as she opened her eyes and stared at Vader.

"You will not have my sons," she said firmly, voice stronger than it had been throughout the whole fight. "You will _never_ have my sons." Her dark brown eyes met Xel's t-visor for barely a moment as she gave him a mournful look. That one glance was enough to confirm his fears. "I'm sorry."

"No. _Buir_, no!"

That was all he managed to say before she extended her hands in opposite directions, pushing Alen's waking form through the doorway and catapulting Xel through the window into the open air, her right hand slamming a blast door between Vader and her eldest son before her lightsaber ignited threateningly. Love for her sons filled every fiber of her being, every cell and pore. She smiled.

_I gave them my love. All I can give them now is time._

…

Suspension. That one instant where you're floating midair, weightless. It was always a disorienting feeling whenever it happened. In this case, disorientation instantly gave way to panic and terror, then anger as Xel considered what had just happened before he started to fall. _You can't make _this _decision for me, _buir_! Not this time!_ His left arm raised and right index lifted off his brother's saber, firing his grappling hook into the wall of the building just below the window. In a rapid pendulum motion, his booted legs slammed into a supporting wall just five stories lower. He punched a button on his gauntlet, reeling in the cable as he ran back up the wall, desperation lending strength to his taxed body before he saw the flash of a green lightsaber.

His eyes widened. _No._ Fear filled him as the blazing shaft sliced through his cable.

_"Telia, no!"_

"Noooo!" he roared in rage, angry tears rushing down his face as he fell eleven stories, igniting Alen's lightsaber on instinct and plunging it into the building underhandedly, slowing his fall until his feet unexpectedly hit a divot. His focus faltered for barely a moment, but it was enough to send the blade spinning out of the wall and the saber out of his hand.

Another rage-filled cry left his body before it knocked against an outcropping near the building's lower supports, tumbling another two stories as he Shielded himself instinctively, bouncing off one ledge after the next, landing with a hard smack in Obron's lower city. He absently heard the distinctive clink of a lightsaber against the stone floor next to his body as black and red warred for control in his vision. Collective rage and grief filled him as the darkness began to win.

Buir_…I've failed you…again._

He blacked out a moment later.

* * *

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - General Grievous: start-1:00—Vader and Telia duel to Xel's entry, 1:00-1:23—Xel's struggle, 1:23-end—two on one to Xel's impact with Telia


	14. Promise

Another rage-filled cry left his body before it knocked against an outcropping near the building's lower supports, tumbling another two stories as he Shielded himself instinctively, bouncing off one ledge after the next, landing with a hard smack in Obron's lower city. He absently heard the distinctive clink of a lightsaber against the stone floor next to his body as black and red warred for control in his vision. Collective rage and grief filled him as the darkness began to win.

Buir_…I've failed you…again._

He blacked out a moment later.

…

6 minutes later

Lower City, Obron City, Obroa-skai

1 year, 2 months BBY

"'Ey, look there."

"S'that a—?"

"He he he, yep. Genuine Mandalorian armor."

"How much does that go for on the market these days?"

"Enough that we'll be livin' the high life in record time."

"Come on then, le's strip the corpse 'fore anyone else spots 'im."

"Right. Get his head."

The two scavenging Weequays knelt at the side of a silver-and-blue clad Mandalorian warrior, red symbol emblazoned on his right shoulder, one pulling uselessly at his chest plate as the other reached for his helmet, tipping the head up so that they were effectively face to faceplate. They both nearly jumped out of their skins when a deep, filtered voice was heard.

"Just one question."

The headward Weequay's gold-brown eyes resembled the noonday sun even before a _snap-hiss_ reached his ears, a glowing blue blade hovering just inches from his head. The helmet leaned even closer, putting their faces barely an inch apart.

"What corpse?"

They both screamed in terror and fled faster than humanly possible, leaving a battered and bruised Xel on the cold stone floor, the saber turning off a second later as a long, pained groan left his body. He exercised his sore muscles, sitting up and rising into a crouched position as he looked down at the content of his hand. His fingers clenched and his teeth followed suit when a burst of static came through his helmet's comm. systems.

"Xel—Xel, do you read?"

Relief burst through him as he put an index to his helmet and responded. "Alen," he breathed out. "_Vod,_ you're all right. Thank the _Manda_." _And our mother._

"I already have. Are you all right? Are you in pain?"

Xel hissed as he stood, his bruised body protesting. "Nothing I can't handle." He debated the validity of that statement for a second as he tested his range of motion. _Cracked a couple ribs for sure…maybe a sprain or dozen._ Something clawed at his heart, a feeling he knew all too well, and he clamped down on it, the turbulent emotion threatening to tear him apart.

"Xel?"

"Yes?"

"Stop blaming yourself."

The Mando's teeth clenched. _Damn this bond._

"Curse it all you want, but this isn't your fault." Alen sounded winded. "It was her choice."

"How can you be so calm?" he asked, voice shaking slightly in pain and rage. "Your—_our_ mother just _died_."

"Did she?"

Xel gaped at the question.

"Tell me again, what did it feel like when Xander was killed?"

Realization dawned on him. "Like my heart was being torn out."

"Right. Have you felt anything like that?"

"Well, no, but…I was unconscious."

"Trust me, when a Force Bond is severed, blacking out is no obstacle to pain."

"Then…no."

Alen sighed heavily. "Good. Me neither." Silence reigned for a moment. "Can you get to your ship?"

Xel hissed again as he started putting one foot after the other, his steps quickening as a dark feeling in the back of his head increased. "Yes, I think so." He reached out to Telia's bond, trying to feel his mother's Force, but was met with an abrupt stop. His heart skipped a beat.

"Xel, focus. If she'd been killed, you would know it."

"Jedi healing trance?"

"Most likely."

"Can you get to your own ship?"

"Already halfway there. Whatever Mom did, she certainly got quite a bit of attention, so I haven't run into any trouble or tails."

"Small miracles. It'll take me a bit longer, but I should make it as well." He rounded a corner, reaching a turbolift a moment later and keying the "up" function. "Do you think Vader knows about the house?"

"No, otherwise he wouldn't have placed this trap, but I don't think it's safe anymore."

Xel nodded even though Alen couldn't see it. "Agreed. Go there and get whatever we'll need for the long-term, then get the hell off this planet."

"You mean…you're not coming?"

"Not there, no. Vader'll know my ship from Nar Shaddaa. Staying will only put you at risk, but if I go, there's a chance I'll draw them off. Make them think we're both gone."

"So you're leaving."

"Yes." He looked out the lift's window as it continued its straight climb. "For now, the best thing for us to do is split up."

"Roger that." There was silence for a moment before he spoke a little hesitantly. "Do you, by any chance, have my lightsaber?"

Xel blinked, looking down at his hand to see the cylindrical weapon in his grip. "Yes." He clipped it to his belt, his left arm falling over it to keep it hidden. "Once we're off this planet, I'll find a way to get it back to you."

"No need for anything fancy. Just give it to me when we rendezvous."

A black eyebrow raised slightly. "You sure?"

"A Jedi is more than a lightsaber. I'll be fine."

"Roger that," he answered, stepping out of the stopped turbolift and fast-walking toward a nearby speeder bike.

An Imperial scout trooper was leaned back against its chassis, oblivious to his presence until he got close. His hand reached halfway to his holster before Xel raised his hand and spoke.

"You want to give me that speeder." The trooper froze, and for a few seconds, Xel thought he'd failed.

Instead, he stepped aside and said, "It's all yours, sir."

The Mando smiled behind his faceplate. "Thank you, soldier." He mounted the bike, starting the engine and thumbing the repulsorlifts to life. "You're workin' too hard. Why don't you go out for a few rounds?"

"Yeah, why not?"

An eyebrow raised slightly as the trooper sauntered off, his white and black body a strange sight to be seen heading to the nearest red sector. The bike roared to life as Xel sped off, getting back to the spaceport as fast as possible before Vader discovered his ship and interdicted the whole planet looking for him. _If he hasn't already._ That scout had obviously recognized him. Pushing that thought away, he set his jaw and ditched the speeder behind a stack of crates at the port's loading dock, heading inside and sticking to crowds to avoid being spotted. One would think that being a six-foot man in full Mandalorian armor would make you stand out in a crowd, but like all hunters, Xel had a knack for hiding in plain sight.

The Force just made things all too easy.

A malicious smile blossomed on his face as he ducked behind two stormtroopers and through a series of maintenance tunnels to get to his docking bay. His heart jumped as two stormtroopers came into view, the pair guarding the entrance ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_. Xel strode toward them, fists curling, as he reached out with the Force, noting the sudden tension and coiled-spring feel to the soldiers.

"Don't you two have somewhere else to be? Search the other hangars, now."

They exchanged a look at his imperious tone before the one on the left spoke. "I—yes sir. Of course."

The pair left together as Xel boarded his ship, keying the throttle and activating the repulsorlifts.

"Kuat Heavy Striker," a voice called over the ship's comlink, "you are not cleared for takeoff and this spaceport is under lockdown. Power down _immediately_."

"_Usen'ye_,_ mir'osik_," he spat, shutting off the link and maxing out his throttle, shooting out of the hangar at a breakneck speed and heading directly for space.

Another voice came over his speakers. "This is Captain Ledric Faal of the Imperial Star Destroyer _Retribution_. Stand down immediately or be destroyed."

Xel scowled hard. "Like I told the other guy—" he gunned the sublight engines, spotting the massive vessel in the distance and breaking away from it hard, "blow it out your _shebs_." The link shut off as four TIE Fighters opened fire, two green bolts slamming into the back of his shields as he juked out of the way of the rest. His teeth clenched as he executed one tight roll after the other, dodging most of their fire as his nav computer calculated the jump to lightspeed. "Come on," he groaned at his ship when it buckled under more fire.

Xel executed a complex series of rolls and twists, facing his attackers and blasting two out of space with his cannons before breaking off, sensors going haywire as they pinged an impending tractor lock. "Come on!" Finally, the nav blinked blue, and he turned hard to the left, right hand shoving the hyperdrive lever forward. The stars stretched and twisted as he shot into the blue tunnel of hyperspace, away from Obroa-skai.

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

Xel leaned back in the captain's chair as he pulled off his helmet, laying it on the dashboard and sighing heavily. He became lost in his thoughts for a while before spotting a blinking red light. He thumbed the Holonet activator and pulled up his messages, blinking several times in disbelief before accessing the most recent one. A familiar red-skinned female filled his vision.

"Hello Xel," Maila said quietly, almost painfully. "Sorry it took me so long to get in touch." She was twisting her fingers together, looking away from the projector. "I've been…somewhat in hiding until now. It's a long, complicated story, and one that I'm sure you don't want to hear." She still couldn't meet the projector's receiver. "I heard what happened to your partner. Xel, I'm so sorry. I…I don't know if you ever want to see me again. After I left you to walk into an Imperial trap…" She sighed again. "I can understand if you wouldn't. But if that's not the case, then…" she finally met the camera, "my offer still stands."

With that, the message ended, leaving only a set of coordinates on Nar Shaddaa, no doubt to her new base of operations. Xel just sat there for a minute, finger on his temple, considering his options. He needed to wait a while to contact Alen over Telia's frequency, so he had time to burn. Not only that, but seeing as how the Imperials had no doubt already tracked his hastily chosen destination, they would follow not long after. Nar Shaddaa would give him a proper direction to shift toward. Making a split-second decision, he dropped the ship out of hyperspace and plotted the new course, waiting for the computer to go blue before again punching the hyperdrive into action.

He disappeared into the armory to make several much-needed repairs, dumping the destroyed jetpack in the trash and settling down to ensure his armor's integrity as he waited.

…

Nar Shaddaa

"State your business."

Xel eyed the guard standing in front of him and contemplated the chances of successfully Force Persuading him to just step aside for a moment before deciding on doing things the old-fashioned way. "I'm here to see Maila Yar."

The Nikto's blaster cleared his holster halfway before Xel was on him, one gloved hand clenching around his armed wrist, the other around his neck.

"My name is Xel Caden," he hissed. "I was invited here."

Recognition flashed in the horned alien's eyes, and Xel slowly released him, eyeing him warily as the blaster returned to its resting place. "In that case," he coughed out, "go right in."

"Thank you," Xel said, somewhat annoyed as he strode past him through a set of double-doors.

The large office beyond wasn't as posh or polished as her previous HQ, but still had her flamboyant flair displayed evidently. To his surprise, the slender figure on the far side of the room was dressed rather conservatively, with a high-cut blouse and pants that fit her snugly without being constrictive of her movement. Maila turned to him slowly, her smile as comparatively subdued as her new dwellings. When they'd first met, he had felt the feminine energy practically rolling off her, between the seductive smile she shot his way to the melodious lilt of her voice.

Now that he had the Force at his command, Xel could _see_ the currents of emotion and intent swirling about and within her. The effect was startling, as were the differences. Her posture was already stiff to the naked eye, but in the Force, she was a whirlpool of stress, tension, and, most powerfully, fear. _Fear of what?_ he wondered, striding toward her in full armor, his bruises and injuries mostly healed on the way over thanks to the Force. As he nudged a little deeper into her mind, a process that felt awkward but easy, he could feel the fear coiling within her, directed both at a nebulous, unknown entity…

His eyes widened. _And at me._ A long sigh left him as a small, compassionate smile crept to his face. He halted four feet from her, eyes locking even with the black visor between them. He tried hard to make his voice as soft as possible when he spoke.

"I thought you were dead."

Her tight, strained smile widened a little at his concerned tone, her ice-blue eyes flitting away. "Almost."

He stepped closer, cringing as she flinched and gently laying a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

Maila's mouth opened slightly and her eyes went to his visor again. Surprise was written all over her features and signature in the Force. She was expecting anger, resentment, blame, hatred even, but all she was getting from his voice was concern. "I…I was found."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "By whom?"

She pulled away and started pacing. "By a competitor. An Umbaran named Nel Maltis. Runs a nasty ring of slavers in Hutt space. His lieutenant, a Trandoshan, somehow managed to get the location of my last hideout on the day you chased down Hammer. I hid to save my skin, allowing the Imps to lie in wait. I'm sorry."

Xel's eyes narrowed behind his helmet as he remembered Vader's words from that day.

"_I convinced her to take a leave of absence."_

"Doesn't that seem a little convenient to you?"

Renewed fear went through her.

Xel winced as she misinterpreted his meaning. He could clearly tell she was telling the truth. "I mean, Imperials show up just as you leave because a rival _somehow_ finds you and decides to pay a visit? How would they even know where I was headed?"

"I—I don't know," she sputtered, withdrawing ever so slightly as she stared into that unyielding faceplate. "Maybe…"

"Maybe they had someone on the inside."

Surprise, then relief coursed through the Zeltron as she finally understood. "Who did, though? Maltis or the Imps?"

Xel shrugged, thumbs hooking on his belt. "Dunno. Maybe both, maybe neither." His eyes widened as another possibility occurred to him. "It was calculated."

"What?"

"_Vader_ tipped off your rival to lure you away."

Her eyes went wide. "Vader?" Her body started shaking slightly. "You mean…_he_ was the one who—?"

"Who killed my father? Yes."

If it were possible, her eyes widened even further. "That…was your father."

Xel blinked as he remembered he'd never told her. To _auretiise_, all Mandos looked the same in armor, and their various expressions and body language were unknown, so there was no way to tell by their actions. "Yes. My partner was also my father." His left hand drifted to his right pauldron. "He…gave his life for mine."

She gulped and closed her eyes.

"Hey."

A firm hand tipped her chin up.

"He won't expect me to come here again, not since he put you on the run, and I know plenty of ways to ditch tails."

A small, grateful smile crept to her face at his concern, and she laid a hand on his arm as the smile turned slightly impish. "Must bite to be the hunted for once."

Xel chewed his cheek and couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Yeah." He sighed heavily, stepping back. "You can say that again." A long silence passed between them. "So, that offer of yours still stands, huh?"

Her eyes brightened visibly. In fact, her entire body language shifted, making her look more like her old self. "As a matter of fact, it does." She leaned back against her desk, arching her back ever so slightly and gazing at him from behind half-lidded eyes, as if sizing him up.

He smirked and crossed his arms. "Think you're woman enough to handle me?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly as her smile widened. "Is that a challenge?"

Caden grinned behind his helmet. _There's the Maila I know._ "First things first, though." He sighed. "You don't actually know who's behind the mask."

"I don't know what you look like behind the mask. There's a difference."

Xel's hands paused on the sides of his helmet. "All too true." A dark thought of how that might be applied to Darth Vader floated through his head before he dismissed it and lifted the _buy'ce _off his head.

The effect on Maila was palpable in the Force. Whatever images she had conjured of the man behind the mask were…well, they weren't what was facing her now. His two-inch jet-black hair hung down slightly, framing his tanned features and dark blue eyes perfectly despite the helmet's tousling.

"A little…younger than you expected?" he asked her with his real voice, for the first time.

"Well…yes." Her seductive smile returned a moment later. "Not that I'm disappointed."

Caden smirked as he tucked his helmet under his arm, striding closer to her. "Glad to hear it. For a second there, I was worried you'd find this ugly mug repulsive." He waved at his face.

She broke out into a grin and punched his arm playfully. Both shared a laugh, smiling at each other as each waited for the other to act first. Xel started to raise his free hand, but stopped a split-second later as that same predatory image slammed into his consciousness.

"Get down!" he shouted, tackling her behind the desk as half the office's windows blew in, sending sheets of broken glass across the room like crystalline spears.

Most of them landed on the far wall, some bouncing off the desk and others digging into the synthetic wood as Xel's armored body shielded her from any strays. When it was over, they both rose to a crouch, the Mando retrieving his fallen helmet as they peered out the window. Four floodlights activated at once, and for a single, raging moment, Caden thought he'd been tracked. When he reached out with the Force, though, there was none of the cool professionalism he'd come to associate with Imperial soldiers, nor was there any feeling of the black hole that was Darth Vader. All he felt was savage aggression, and it was _all_ directed at Maila.

"Maila Yar!" a reptilian voice roared, confirming his suspicions. "Come out now and we will make your death quick!"

Xel's helmet instantly went back on as his blasters cleared their holsters. "Not gonna happen!" he answered for her, punctuating the statement with a trio of shots that nailed the man next to the speaker, the Force guiding his hands where his eyes failed due to the glare. "Go!" He shoved her toward the office's doors, putting himself between her and the enemy as he suppressed them. Blaster fire crossed paths in the office and the air outside as the gangsters opened fire, several shots pelting his _beskar_ and one managing to nick the gap at his left shoulder.

The Mando hissed in pain as he rounded the corner, joined by the Nikto guard in his defense of Yar. The woman herself was not defenseless, though, and demonstrated this by drawing a Q2 and sending several shots through the gap. A stray round hit the Nikto, and he recoiled sharply as his arm fell limp at his side.

"Jeel!"

"Fine, milady."

Xel glanced at the injury as he kept up the pressure, weighing his options and stretching out to the Force to see if he could spot any others. The guard wasn't too badly injured, but if that wound went untreated, he could lose the arm. Focusing on living long enough to see to him, Caden grabbed Maila's shoulder and slapped the guard's to get him to follow. They both retreated down a hallway, rounding one corner after the next until Xel's Force senses pinged a slightly malevolent presence just ahead. He snapped around and was about to pull the trigger when Maila grabbed his arm.

"No! Xel, this is Yetha. She's my assistant."

Xel glanced from Maila to the girl, eyes narrowing. He recognized her from five months ago, true, but…there was something wrong. Deciding to trust Yar's judgement for now, he lowered his blasters and hoped he wasn't making a mistake as he grabbed her arm too, half-dragging both ladies along. When they reached the turbolift to the landing pad, Jeel hesitated, then faced Maila.

"I will stay and stall them."

"Oh no you don't." Xel huffed and clamped a gloved hand on his injured arm, yanking him inside the lift and shutting the doors, keying the floor of his ship. "I've seen enough stupid heroics to last a lifetime, and there's _really_ no reason for it here."

The Nikto rubbed his burn gingerly, scowling at the Mando for twofold reasons.

"He's right," Maila said. "You've served me well, Jeel. I won't sacrifice you needlessly."

The alien gulped and nodded stiffly as the doors opened, leaving them with a straight shot to his ship.

Or so they thought.

A speeder flew in at a breakneck speed, landing on one end of the pad and laying down a series of automatic shots that sent them scattering to separate cover. They exchanged fire with the gangsters for a few more seconds before Maila formed a plan in her head.

"Split up!" she yelled to Jeel over the whine and roar of discharging blasters. "They're only after me! We'll draw them off, you get Yetha to safety!"

"Milady," he protested, not trusting her in the Mando's care.

Xel knew it. "No, _di'kut_! You're injured, and I've got better armor _and_ firepower. I'm her best shot." Adding just a little Force to the statement, he saw the Nikto reluctantly nod in acknowledgement. "Maila, let's move."

She nodded and gave her people one last look, as did Xel, though the latter's gaze was directed at one in particular, and for far different reasons. His eyes narrowed behind his faceplate. _There's something about that woman._ Pushing that thought away, he sprinted between his charge and the attackers, laying down automatic fire from his pistols and running them near empty as they charged toward an empty speeder, Maila taking the controls and speeding off. As expected, the rival gang's soldiers pursued them, ignoring Maila's employees entirely. Xel prompted her to take a left turn, then a right and a sharp dive several levels down, the darkness of the city cloaking their movements as he shut off the headlights.

"Woah," she protested, hitting the airbrakes.

He laid a hand on her arm, gently moving her from the pilot's seat. "Trust me." He gunned the throttle, narrowly avoiding being seen as he flew through a small gap between two buildings. He expertly weaved through one building after the next, Maila's eyes wide open as she stared at the back of his head.

"How—?"

"How am I doing this? Two words." He tapped his helmet. "Integrated optics." At her raised eyebrow, he added, "Night vision." In all seriousness, the Force had more to do with it than his helmet.

She quirked a smirk despite the seriousness of the situation, leaning back in her seat as she laid her life in his hands. This man—boy, really, who she had expected animosity from, was showing off, and in the process quite possibly flirting with her, while fleeing for their lives from outnumbering outlaw forces. The realization made her grin and shake her head.

"You're staring," he pointed out without looking.

"How'd you know that? Helmet have eyes in the back of its head?"

He raised an eyebrow. _Well, technically…_ "I don't need to see you to know when your eyes are boring a hole into the back of my skull."

"Hey, I'm staring, not glaring."

He grinned and chuckled. "We should ditch the speeder somewhere."

"How do you figure?"

"Well, we'll need to stop running sooner or later, and best not to leave a recognizable vehicle lying around, yeah?"

"Right. Of course."

He was silent a while before furrowing his brows. "Just how many people try to kill you on a regular basis?"

"A lot. Usually it's just one or two at a time, though, not forty."

He grinned behind his faceplate. "Look at it this way. It means you're moving up in the world. Soon you'll have proper hunters on you, nasty, cold-blooded—"

"Is this your idea of encouragement?"

"Just trying to look at the bright side," he laughed.

She shook her head. "I'd hate to see your dark side."

His blood froze a little as his smile faded, memories of his confrontation on Obroa-skai coming to his consciousness. "Yeah…me too." He could feel a slight pang of regret from her, but she said nothing. The speeder came to a halt on a lower catwalk, the Mando quickly rising and climbing out, offering Maila a hand and assisting her dismount. He tapped her arm. "This way." They made their way across one catwalk after the next, walking across the concourse into the Promenade, a vast plaza filled with lights, shops, and all manner of crowds. Unfortunately, their entry was too late.

Xel pushed Maila down as two blaster bolts streaked through where her head had just been, tagging a pedestrian instead. Caden whipped his body around, firing at the attacker and tagging the man next to him. The red reptilian eyes of a Trandoshan glared at him murderously, the animosity from earlier now focused almost entirely on him. Xel's head cocked in confusion before he ran off in the direction of an alley and the open skyline. The whir of a blade flying through the air reached his ears, and he spun sideways to put his gauntlet up. To his surprise, the vibroblade stuck in the metal, and he locked gazes with the Trando before running again, pulling the blade out and sprinting with Maila in front of him.

"Keep going!" he shouted, giving her a gentle shove forward as he broke off. Xel glanced at her shocked expression as she looked back to see empty air, then broke into another desperate sprint. Xel, for his part, had Force Jumped to a rooftop twenty-five feet above her and was tailing her from above, taking great care in his steps, being that he had no jetpack. He leapt between two buildings to keep up, taking note of the Trando's teams splitting into different alleys to cut her off. Smirking malevolently, he dropped the full distance to land feet-first on the head of a pursuing Rodian, snapping his neck instantly and rolling toward his partner.

A _beskar_ blade left its sheath and imbedded itself in one of a Zabrak's two hearts, impaling the other a second later as Xel discarded the corpse and sprinted past them. He followed the threads of Maila's fear straight to her, leaping to another perch to retain his bird's-eye view. _Three more teams converging on the next intersection._ His eyes opened as he leapt the distance to the next building, rolling on contact and considering the next area. Three teams, fifteen contacts, one Trandoshan, the rest an assortment of aliens...and Maila was headed to a dead end, a rooftop whose only ways off were either the way she came or a dizzyingly high drop. Xel's teeth clenched.

They had well and truly backed her into a corner, and there was no way he'd survive against all fifteen in one shot. As he leapt to another rooftop, Xel felt the insistent clink of an object on his belt and looked down to see his brother's lightsaber. His eyes widened. _Possibly..._ His armored head shook. He was good with a saber, but nowhere near the level of his brother or Telia, and all it would take was one good shot in the right place to stun him long enough for the others to finish him off. Looking up, he saw a better way and smiled as confidence filled him.

...

Maila ran onto the rooftop, her red skin alight with the simulated fire of a billboard above, and instantly realized her mistake. She looked around frantically, trying to find some way off that didn't include an unfortunate side product of death. The moment she understood there wasn't one, her hand dropped to the blaster at her hip and drew it, aiming it threateningly at her enemy's leader.

"You want me, lizard?" she said in a hiss. "Here I am."

The Trandoshan grinned toothily, razor-sharp white teeth complemented by blood-red eyes as his forked tongue flicked out momentarily. He raised his left arm, as if to motion his men to line up as a firing squad, which they did. Maila stared back defiantly. She wouldn't be joining oblivion alone. As her finger started to squeeze around her weapon's trigger, the sound of a hydraulic pop reached the ears of everyone present, and six pairs of eyes, including Maila and the Trando, looked up.

Xel had launched a grappling hook from his left gauntlet and swung off the side of a building in a pendulum motion, his downward momentum building until he swung back up, kicking his legs forward to add force and cutting the cable as his body reached the peak of its arc. A flash of bright metal came from his hands as his body flipped upright next to a billboard—right above the clustered enemy force. What happened next, none of them could have predicted.

_Snap-hiss._

Her eyes widened. _No way._

The sapphire blade that came from his hands sliced through the board's primary support, and he deactivated it to launch his cable again, swinging away from the toppling structure as it fell thirty feet to pancake all but four of the enemy. The Trandoshan captain, one of the few survivors, let out a guttural growl at the Mando, teeth and claws baring in tandem as Xel dropped to her level and drew his blasters.

...

"Come on, you ugly fierfeks!" Xel taunted from behind his helmet. From the corner of his eye, he could see Maila eyeing him warily, her gaze flickering to the cylinder at his belt. He sighed internally and sensed there would be a lot of explaining to do once this was over.

Both of them fired at the now-reduced opposing force, tagging two more thugs and pinning the last two down behind a rooftop compressor. Xel nodded to Maila, who went sideways as he sprinted straight toward the compressor, leaping over the device in a twist-flip and plugging the Trando's last guard on his way down. The final thug bared his teeth and rushed him, grabbing both his wrists and roaring in his faceplate as his blasters clattered to the ground.

"Just imagine," he hissed. "I hear of my dear cousin's death and months later, while hunting down a job, run into his killer."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait...what?"

The Trando slammed him against the compressor back-first. "Brack Anthis. You murdered Brack Anthis."

Blue eyes went wide as he looked at his right shoulder. "I can see why you'd think so." His visor returned to the lizard. "I didn't kill him, my partner did." His helmet slammed into the Trando's muzzle hard in a _kov'nyn_, causing him to roar in pain and release his wrists. Xel leapt into the air and delivered a falling elbow to his shoulder, feeling bone and muscle give under the strike as he staggered back. Caden slowly drew his knife, lazily twirling it using the ring until he stopped it in an underhanded grip. "But I'm perfectly happy to reunite you."

The lizard roared and charged at him as Xel met his animalistic fury in kind, smashing together in a pile of flesh, metal, and muscle.

...

Barely two minutes later, it was over. Anthis lay in a bleeding pile of scales, and Xel stood over his body victorious, little the worse for wear, knife bloodied. _Funny_, he'd thought, _Dad said not to go up against a Trando up close._ He suspected that was because Xander was restraining his Force abilities on Coruscant. Now, Maila and Xel were in an apartment just off the Upper Promenade, a safehouse of sorts he and his father reserved for times of crisis. Xel had taken off his helmet, gauntlets, gloves, and chest armor, stacking the plates neatly on a bench and cleaning his weapons on instinct.

Maila watched him with almost absent interest, eyes drifting every so often to the lightsaber still hanging from his belt. He could feel her staring and decided to break the silence.

"Are you just gonna sit there all night or ask me what you want to ask?"

She sighed softly and stood up, striding up to stand at his side. "Where did—?"

"Where did I get the lightsaber?" He shrugged. "Where else? From a Jedi."

She pursed her lips at his deliberate ambiguity. "So what is it then? It's not just for show." Maila snickered a bit. "You _overwhelmingly_ demonstrated that." She cocked her head. "Is it a trophy?" She watched as his hands stopped moving.

Xel didn't know why the question bothered him. Considering that was the function of lightsabers worn by most Mandos, it was a logical assumption. "No," he answered quietly, unclipping the weapon and inspecting it in silence.

"What then?"

His expression and lips tightened as his grip around the hilt did. "A promise." Not only to return it to its rightful owner, but in doing so to force an unbreakable pact of brotherhood. Vode an_,_ he thought. Even if Alen wasn't a Mando, he was family. Xel's eyes closed. _The last of my family._ He released a heavy breath as he set the saber down next to his blasters. "But I don't want to talk about that right now. Or...anything, for that matter."

She turned his head to face her. "What then? What is it you want, right now?"

His eyes closed again, a sharp stinging sensation plaguing them as memories flashed in his mind. Xander, facing off against Vader. Alen, facing off against Vader. Telia, facing off against Vader. Vader. Vader. _Vader_. His eyes opened, reddened, half by grief, half by anger, as his expression mirrored the combination. Two dark blue orbs met ice blue ones in an intense stare as he whispered his response.

"To forget."

Maila smiled slightly and nodded her head in understanding as she reached for the seal on his suit's shoulder, lips brushing against his ear. "Then you came to the right place."


	15. Memories

She turned his head to face her. "What then? What is it you want, right now?"

His eyes closed again, a sharp stinging sensation plaguing them as memories flashed in his mind. Xander, facing off against Vader. Alen, facing off against Vader. Telia, facing off against Vader. Vader. Vader. _Vader_. His eyes opened, reddened, half by grief, half by anger, as his expression mirrored the combination. Two dark blue orbs met ice blue ones in an intense stare as he whispered his response.

"To forget."

Maila smiled slightly and nodded her head in understanding as she reached for the seal on his suit's shoulder, lips brushing against his ear. "Then you came to the right place."

…

Next morning

Nar Shaddaa

1 year, 2 months BBY

A soft, lithe body rolled over under the covers of a common yet comfortable bed, its left elbow nudging against something hard yet pliable. Ice blue eyes opened to see the golden light of morning streaming through a crack between curtains, squinting against it and turning to the side to see the source of their host's feeling. A small smile came to Maila's face as she laid her head down against Xel's bare chest, one hand absently stroking a fading bruise. Things hadn't turned out quite as…out-of-control as she'd intended last night. For whatever reason, all her partner needed was the feel of someone in his arms, not the full ecstasy she was offering.

_Not that I minded._ She chewed on her lip. _Okay, maybe I did a little._ Regardless, it was…satisfying. He was clearly inexperienced with women, but his passion more than made up for it. She hooked a mostly bare leg over his hip and pulled herself closer, nuzzling his neck as she snuggled under the covers. Her eyes closed gently as she inhaled deeply in time with his breathing. The groggy woman was slowly falling back to sleep, halfway unconscious, when she felt his breathing change slightly. A moment later, a set of fingers weaved through her raven hair, fixing the rogue strands that were scattered along her living pillow's chest.

"Good morning," a deep voice said softly.

She smiled wider against his chest. "Morning." Maila looked up into his eyes, darkened even further by the shadows cast by his halfway-closed lids. "Sleep well?"

He looked away and seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding and wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "I did. Very well, in fact."

Maila hummed in enjoyment as their lips met gently, pulling away a second later to look at him. "I give you enough amnesia last night?"

He smirked and pressed his lips to her cheek, then neck. "You did."

"And everything else?"

Xel pulled away as his smirk widened, eyes looking away contemplatively. "It was…" his smile widened, "adequate."

She outright gaped as he grinned, then smacked his chest playfully.

"Ow!" he protested.

"That's what you get when you insult a woman in bed."

"I—I did not."

"You certainly did." She turned away from him exaggeratedly, deliberately putting her back to him and crossing her arms.

"Really?"

Two warm arms were felt under hers, and she weakly pushed them away before they looped around her bare midsection, pressing her back against his chest as his head nestled against her shoulder. "Tyrant," she mock pouted.

"Neuron."

Her left eyebrow raised.

"'Cause you're so sensitive."

"Pshht, please. I will have you know that I have _quite_ the tolerance for pain."

His body tensed at her back.

"Xel?"

"It's nothing," he assured, tangibly forcing himself to relax.

Her smirk faded to a concerned frown as she turned to face him, arms wrapping around his neck as their foreheads touched. "No it's not." Her eyes searched his, those dark pools full of mystery and hidden emotion. "Xel, talk to me. You…you trust me, don't you?"

He raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. "I trust you enough not to put a knife in my gut." He smiled wider. "Although I guess I should be worried about blunt force instead."

Maila rolled her eyes. "Xel, I'm serious."

"I know." He was silent.

"So you still don't want to talk about it."

He looked away. "It's…not my secret to tell. At least, not mine alone."

Her eyes narrowed. "Just tell me something. Does it have anything to do with why you're in the crosshairs of Darth Vader himself?"

…

_Okay, I'll admit it. She's good._ As he trailed a hand down the skin of her back, a smile crept onto his face, memories of the night before flashing in his mind's eye. _Quite good._ Belatedly, he realized she was waiting for an answer and sighed.

"Yes," he answered simply, looking away.

"And I take it you can't tell me specifics?"

"No." He returned his eyes to hers, those ice blue orbs searching, trying to pierce his armor, then softening as she nodded.

"Okay."

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

She chuckled darkly. "Xel, you saved my _life_ last night. After I left you hanging and failed to warn you not to come back. Your father _died_ because of me, and you saved my life." Her fingers stroked and smoothed his hair back. "I think you're entitled to more than a little privacy."

He opened his mouth to say something, closing it a second later and smiling. "Thank you."

…

1 hour later

After another twenty minutes letting their bodies wake up, the pair got dressed, Xel in his _beskar'gam_, her in the casual suit from the night before, and took a speeder to her half-ruined headquarters. Xel was overjoyed to see his ship still parked on the landing pad, no worse for wear. It seemed they were really were just after Yar. He had headed straight into the _Kandosii'tal_, giving Maila an impromptu tour in the process as he transmitted his coordinates over Telia's frequency found in Xander's datacron. As they descended the ramp, two familiar figures came into view, walking out of the building.

"Jeel!" Maila shouted warmly, smiling as she trotted over. "Yetha!"

Xel's eyes narrowed at the shorter woman, calling on the Force and focusing his senses on her. His eyes widened as the full verification of his previous suspicion verified.

"Maila," he said firmly, the sharp tone of his voice stopping her in her tracks. "Get away from her."

"Xel?" she asked, perplexed.

He stepped between them, one arm keeping the Zeltron back, his eyes boring holes in the other woman's eyes. As he looked at her, both with his eyes and with the Force, the cool malevolence and predatory intelligence behind her light brown eyes and benign façade were revealed.

As was the Luxan Penetrator hidden in her jacket.

Their eyes locked in an intense stare, both coiled as the others present realized something was about to happen. Xel reached out to the Force and merely raised his hand ever so slightly.

"Tell her the truth, Yetha."

The short woman twitched, her features twisting slightly as she subconsciously fought his influence.

Xel poured more Force into his hissed words. "Tell her the _truth_."

The hand that had slowly been reaching for her blaster stopped and fell to her side, fists clenched as she spoke. "I was the mole."

Maila's mouth dropped a little as feelings of betrayal flooded her. "W—What?" She shook her head, voice lowering in anger. "What did you say?"

Despite being under Xel's influence, Yetha leaned toward her and snarled threateningly. "I. Was. The. Mole."

Maila's teeth clenched. "Why? We've worked together for years, Yeth. I've never once mistreated you. Why in the Emperor's name would you sell me out?"

The woman's eyes narrowed. "You're right. We've worked together…for _years_. Years at your beck and call, as your assistant, as nothing more than a glorified house servant." She smiled malevolently. "Well, I decided to show you just what I'm capable of."

"And," Xel voiced dangerously, "I suppose you thought that selling her out to the Empire was a great way to do that."

She looked at him, genuinely confused. "The Empire? Oh, no…fierfek, no." Yetha looked back at her employer. "I had a friend in the neighborhood, someone who specializes in information brokering."

_He must have been an agent of Vader._ "Who?" Xel hissed, taking a step toward her.

She opened her mouth slightly and took a step back.

"A _name_, Yetha. I want…a name." Xel's hand dropped to his knife.

"I—I can't." She looked genuinely scared as he kept advancing, pushing her to the edge of the platform.

"You _can_, and you _will_." The knife left its sheath as he rushed forward, left hand gripping her neck, the right pressing his blade to it.

Her eyes went wide in terror, her whole body shaking as his young features twisted into a furious scowl. "I…"

"Speak now—" he added just enough pressure to draw blood, "—or die."

"He…he never gave me a name."

"I thought you said he was a friend."

"A resource, more like. An asset."

Xel narrowed his eyes. "No. _You_ were the asset. How did you get into contact with him?"

"It was an encrypted Holonet frequency. One-way only. Trust me, I tried."

His teeth were clenched. "How did you get the frequency?"

"It…it landed in my terminal seven months ago, with a message."

"What message?"

She gulped, her skin sliding against the _beskar_ blade. "The guy…on the other end…he wanted me to report every few days, send him information on Maila's clients and visitors. Nothing invasive, just summaries. In return, he paid me generously and promised that I'd be at the top of the food chain one way or another." She glanced nervously at Maila.

Xel chuckled darkly, pulling back his knife ever so slightly. "You idiot. You were never any more than a pawn." He looked away for a moment. "Do you think you could send a message to this…friend?"

"No," she answered with a shake of the head. "He, or she, stopped responding after Maila was attacked."

His eyes narrowed. "Unfortunate." _For you._ "Looks like you're of no further use to me, then."

Her body went rigid.

Xel's grip tightened around the knife. "I'd slot you out of principle any day."

Yetha closed her eyes and waited for the end.

Metal skidded against carbo-plas as a blade returned to its sheath.

"Unfortunately," Xel said almost wearily, "I'm not the one you knowingly hung out to dry." He turned away and strode back toward his ship, pausing to put a hand on Maila's shoulder and look back at the shamed woman. "Your life isn't mine to take." He started walking again, boarding his ship a few seconds later. The Force flared with sudden aggression from Yetha before a loud report issued from behind him, the feeling vanishing an instant later.

…

"So…last night."

Maila looked up from her datapad, giving her interrogator a questioning look. "What about it?"

Xel was leaning back against a wall next to her desk, arms crossed, staring at the far wall. "It was…" His voice trailed off.

"Yes?"

He sighed heavily. "I needed it."

She put the datapad down and leaned back in her seat, fingertips touching. "Okay? What is it you're trying to say exactly?"

He was hesitating, frustration and guilt warring in his features.

"One-time?"

He looked even further away from her. "Maybe. Maybe not." He stayed silent.

"Was that your first time being…intimate?"

Xel half-opened his mouth when she cut him off with a pointed finger.

"Be honest."

The boy broke into a grin. "I'm always honest."

She raised an eyebrow. "The last twenty-four hours have taught me _that's_ a lie."

His smile faded.

"Sure, you're honest with most people. People you know, anyway, but…yourself?" She shook her head. "You're not honest with yourself, and that makes you dishonest to other people." From his intense, floorward expression, she could tell she was right. "I just wish you trusted me enough to tell me."

Xel looked back to her, reaching out with the Force and probing her consciousness for any signs of deception, of malevolent intent. He considered himself a fairly good judge of character even _before_ his Force training. If neither of his arrays of senses was sending up alarm bells, that had to mean she was trustworthy…right? After all, the late Yetha was the one who sold him and Xander out, not her boss. He shook his head slowly.

"There's someone coming to meet me here. When he arrives…then I'll know whether or not to tell you."

A raven eyebrow raised. "That's awfully cryptic."

Xel shrugged. "Comes from being a hunter…and the hunted, I might add. You learn to say things without actually giving information. It's a useful skill for someone in my position."

"I'll bet."

They were both silent a while.

Maila chuckled. "Here I was, just this morning, telling you I didn't need to know and now I'm pressing again." She shook her head. "So when's this friend of yours coming?"

A loud beep came from Xel's helmet, and he picked it up, pulling it on and activating his comlink. "Caden here."

"Good to hear your voice, Xel. I got your coordinates."

Xel smiled and nodded. "How long?"

"Check your viewscreen."

He turned his head to look out the window, seeing a repainted T-6 shuttle hovering just off the surface of the landing pad. Xel grinned and shook his head as he nodded to Maila and strode out the door. Barely thirty seconds later, they were waiting in an artificial dust storm, the pale burgundy and gray shuttle touching down next to the _Kandosii'tal_. A tall figure strode out of the landing ramp, a dark brown hood over his features as he approached the pair.

"Alen."

The man nodded to the armored Mando. "Xel." They stopped in front of each other. "You have it?"

Xel nodded and reached to the left side of his belt, unclipping the lightsaber and handing it to him pommel first. "Kept it safe, _vod_."

"_Vod_?" Maila asked, eyebrows raised, both at the word and the exchange.

The hooded figure appraised her with narrowed eyes, his face shadowed by the hood's deflection of the noonday sun. "Who's this?" he asked evenly.

Xel turned to the Zeltron. "This is Maila Yar. She's my…friend."

Yar smiled at the figure sweetly and held out her hand. "A pleasure."

He shook it and bowed slightly. "Likewise." The man turned back to Xel. "Can we talk?" he asked, nodding toward the _Kandosii_.

Xel nodded and led him onto the ship, closing the landing ramp behind him. He popped his helmet and tucked it under his arm, Alen pulling back his hood as they faced each other. "What's up?"

Alen smirked ever so slightly.

Xel rolled his eyes. He _hated_ that look. "What?"

The Jedi smiled mischievously and started poking his arm. "You and her…"

Xel pushed him away. "Ugh, you're such a kid!"

"Says the younger twin."

"Yeah, by fifteen minutes."

Alen grinned and crossed his arms. "Still counts."

"I thought Jedi weren't supposed to lord their power over others."

He puffed his chest out exaggeratedly. "We're the next generation. We break _all_ the rules."

"Uh huh," Xel mocked, smiling crookedly and striding toward the ramp.

Alen gripped his arm firmly, stopping him. "Can we trust her?"

The Mando's lips pursed tightly. "She's given me no evidence to the contrary, either in action or in feeling."

The older boy nodded slowly. "I trust you, so if you trust her, so do I."

Xel breathed out heavily, and a weight he didn't know he'd had lifted off his shoulders. Ever since early childhood, secrets had never sat well with him. They walked off the ship together, Alen nudging Xel's side with his elbow as he grinned like an idiot, a confused Maila looking on as Xel kept pushing him away. When they reached her, Alen had mostly regained his Jedi calm, a small smirk still on his face as he looked at the Zeltron.

"Did I miss something?"

"Nothing important," Xel answered quickly, giving Alen a firm glare.

"So, about that thing you wanted to tell me but couldn't?"

Caden sighed and nodded, motioning to the building. This wasn't a conversation to have in the open. Entering the office, Xel swept the place for bugs.

"There aren't any," Maila assured him. "After Yetha…I made sure."

Xel blinked and nodded, laying his helmet on her desk again and standing next to Alen. "So…I wasn't entirely truthful when I said he was a friend."

A raven eyebrow raised.

Xel put a hand on Alen's shoulder. "This…is Alen Li-am. My brother. Twin, really."

Her other eyebrow met the raised one. "Fraternal, clearly."

"Well, yeah. He's…"

"A Jedi."

Xel gulped and nodded slowly.

Maila leaned back into her seat and exhaled sharply, eyes turning away. "I didn't think there were any Jedi left."

"That's the idea," Alen said, his voice tight and professional. "If people don't know about us, neither does the Empire."

She nodded slowly, turning to Xel. "So this is your big secret, the one your father died for? That your brother's a Jedi?"

"_And_ mother," he added. "But…no, this isn't it. At least, not _all_ of it."

"Oh?"

Xel raised his arm and effortlessly called his helmet to his hand.

Her eyes matched the buttons of her blouse. "Oh," she breathed out.

"Yeah. Paints a _real_ big bull's eye on my back."

"So your entire family—"

"Is Force-sensitive," Alen finished.

"That's why Vader's so interested," Xel added.

She nodded slowly, shaking her head a second later. "It all makes sense now. The secrets, the mystery, how you're so good at your job."

"Well, _that_ you can attribute most to Mando training. I didn't even know about my Force connection until five months ago."

Her eyes widened slightly. "You mean—"

"It was his parting message to me."

Maila leaned back again. "Woah," she breathed.

Silence reigned over the room for a while.

"So," Alen said finally, "Xel, any idea what to do next?"

The Mando pursed his lips, contemplating their situation. They were two thirteen-year-olds, one a Jedi, the other a Mandalorian warrior, universally accepted as two of the most dangerous types of people to run across. Their mother had been captured by the Empire—scratch that, by _Darth Vader_ himself. Their father was dead. They had two ships and a decent amount of credits. For once in Xel's life, there was no obvious path, no set direction. It was a vastly disorienting feeling.

"I…don't know." He looked to the side, then at his brother. Dark blue eyes flickered to the device hanging at his belt, and his eyes widened as an epiphany struck him. He approached Alen and pulled him aside, speaking in low tones. "Given that I have a body, power cell, and sufficient emitters, would I have everything I need to build a lightsaber?"

Alen looked at the wall in concentration. "You'd still need a core crystal."

Xel reached into a small hardcase at his belt and pulled out the Ruusan crystal.

The Jedi shook his head. "No. The Ruusan counts as a _focusing_ crystal, which is meant to enhance the power of a lightsaber. The core crystal is usually one bearing a specific color. Adegan crystals are the most common, but there are others that can be found on planets across the galaxy."

Xel pursed his lips. "And I'm guessing Nar Shaddaa isn't one of 'em."

Alen shook his head.

The Mando sighed heavily. "Maila," he said, turning to her, "do you think…do you think you could watch one of our ships?"

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms with a smirk. "I'm not a long-term parking service, Xel."

"It won't be long-term, I promise. We just need to take a trip. It's important."

The Zeltron looked between them and thought for a moment before nodding. The brothers turned to each other.

"Your ship or mine?" Alen asked.

"We're taking mine. The _Kandosii_ has everything we need."

He nodded and turned to Maila. "Miss Yar, a pleasure meeting you." Alen bowed respectfully.

She tipped her head in response. "Likewise, Jedi."

"Just for future reference, you might not want to say that too loudly."

Maila smiled sweetly and nodded, eyes closing momentarily. "Your secret is safe." She turned to the younger brother. "As is yours."

"My thanks," Xel responded, turning for the door and slipping his helmet on.

…

The Kandosii'tal, orbit over Nar Shaddaa

"So…where's our best bet?"

Alen thought about it for a moment, turning back and forth in the copilot's seat. "I'm not sure. I found mine on Obroa-skai, but…you've got virtually no ties there."

Xel looked at him confusedly for a moment before his mind drew out a particular memory. "Mom mentioned once that the best crystals are the ones that…resonate with you. Ones that you almost feel a connection to."

Alen nodded. "Exactly." He put his hand on his chin, thinking hard. "Tell me something. Have you ever felt…I dunno how to describe it. Like…weird?"

Xel gave him a snarky look.

"Okay, too broad. Uh…like…" He squinted at the ship's ceiling, eyes widening a few seconds later. "Ah! _Drawn_."

The Mando leaned back against a bulkhead, eyebrows furrowing. "How do you mean?"

"Like, you can't explain it, but you feel a pull toward a certain place or object?" Seeing that his brother wasn't getting it, Alen got up and approached him. "Here, open your mind to me. Open the Bond."

Xel closed his eyes and complied, wincing slightly as he felt Alen's mind touch his own. Five months, and he was still getting used to having someone else in his head. Suddenly, he felt, as Alen so aptly put it, weird. His eyes snapped open.

"Oh."

"Yeah. That."

"Truthfully?" Xel thought about it hard, squinting at the grated floor and letting his eyes wander aimlessly as his mind focused. Dark blue orbs were drawn to something in his peripheral vision, and his expression changed subtly.

"What? What is it?"

"Maybe…" Xel's voice trailed off as he walked into another room, _his_ room, and opened a drawer, pulling out a sharp ivory tusk with a jagged end, turning around and showing it to Alen.

"What…is that?"

He smiled at the object. "My first true kill. This tusk is from a rare albino Boma, native to Onderon's largest moon, Dxun, also known as—"

"The Demon Moon," Alen finished, nodding. "I know it. As part of my training, Mom taught me the history of the Jedi. Most of it, anyway. Dxun was the site of a major conflict just over 3000 years ago."

Xel smiled. "And one of the major Mandalorian bases of operation in that era. Mandalore the Preserver used the moon and the mysteries surrounding it to cloak his operation and its objectives: to gather the scattered clans of _Mando'ade_ and return them to their rightful place."

"If I'm not mistaken, they actually worked with a Jedi general."

He nodded and raised the Boma tusk. "But we digress."

"Right," Alen said with a nod. "So what's the big deal?"

"Dad took me to Dxun as part of my _verd'goten_, a…coming-of-age ritual among Mandalorians that tests all your skills, training, and courage. This was barely a week before I hunted my first bounty with him, right after I'd turned thirteen. He took me to the jungle and told me to find and kill an albino Boma as my test."

"Doesn't sound…_too_ difficult. I mean, for an ordinary person, yeah, maybe, but a Mando?"

"Well, you gotta understand that Bomas are big normally. Massive tusks, with over 600 pounds of pure muscle. Most are large enough to ride. That's the normal ones. Albinos?" He motioned with his hands to indicate a massive difference. "_Gigantic_."

"Gigantic," Alen said in disbelief.

"Gigantic. You know Rontos? Think one of those, except without the long neck, carnivorous, massive tusks, and extremely pale green skin. Could swallow both of us whole and have plenty of room to spare."

Alen's eyebrows shot up. "Okay."

"And this was before I got proper _beskar'gam_. The armor was my gift for completing the trial."

"Okay, that's…yeah that's pretty taxing."

"It gets worse. See, the Boma would be challenge enough, but the jungle itself has evolved to kill you, to kill anything that shows even the slightest sign of weakness." Xel watched a dark expression cross his brother's face.

"And Dad sent you out into that? With no armor?"

"No, I had armor, but compared to _beskar_, it was substandard. I had my pistols, my knife—my _previous_ knife, a couple thermal detonators, and not much else."

"And?" Alen asked anxiously.

"While I was hunting it, tracking it, I ran across this…cave. Just like you said, it felt…weird. I figured it was my instincts telling me there was something wrong, but…maybe they weren't."

Alen smiled slightly. "Sounds like a crystal to me. Do you think you could find it again?"

"I'd never forget." Xel strode to the captain's chair and seated himself, accessing the nav computer. "I found my prey right around the corner." His fingers danced over the keys. "Course to Dxun set. Prepare to jump." As soon as the computer flashed blue, the hyperdrive lever was pushed and the ship accelerated past lightspeed.

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"So why Dxun?"

Xel turned to Alen, eyebrows raised. "Huh?"

"Why did Dad pick Dxun?"

"_Because_ Mandalore the Preserver made it his base of operations. He and his group, his clan, tamed the jungle and made it their home. I guess Dad figured that if I could do the same on a smaller scale, it was good enough to make me an adult."

Alen shrugged. "Makes sense." They were both silent a while. "So, you said 'I have a body' in a hypothetical way back on Nar Shaddaa. Does that mean you actually do have one?"

Xel smiled and stood. "Follow me." He strode right into the workshop and punched the code to open a safe, pulling the door open and reaching for a container inside. He popped the lid off and let Alen peer inside the relatively small box.

"Woah." Ice blue eyes went wide. "Wait, is that—"

"_Beskar_?" Xel grinned. "Yep. Elek taught me the basics of forging it and left some of the raw ore as a gift when he visited us. I totally forgot about it until my training resumed. Surprisingly enough, it was even easier to manipulate than durasteel."

"And it's a lot harder, I'd guess."

"Damn near indestructible, actually." He looked at the pieces, seeing in his head how they all fit together, each and every one of them forged with his own two hands. A gold plate of ciridium, used in the finest _beskar'gam_, was lifted in his fingers, its place around the activation switch visible in his head.

"So why the rush to get your hands on a lightsaber?"

Xel looked at Alen hard, expression hardening slightly. "One way or another, we're going to meet Vader again." His empty hand clenched. "And I'm not gonna be caught with my pants down."

"Right," Alen said quietly, turning away and walking back to the cockpit.

Xel's eyes focused on the box in front of him, fingers closing the lid after replacing the ciridium piece and legs taking him back to his brother.

…

Dxun

An animalistic roar came from Xel, fingers curled in clawed motions as the two creatures in front of him turned and ran. Alen was staring at him, hand on his lightsaber.

"Zakkeg call," Xel explained. "Scares off most creatures on this world, since they're pretty much all preyed on by them."

Alen raised his eyebrows. "Smart."

The two brothers trekked through the jungle, making their way through one vine-tangled path after the other, ducking under wooden and rocky arches. Alen had never been on a world this lush and overgrown, so the currents of the Force were vast, twisting, and fascinating. Xel was looking at the world in a different light, his senses focused on caution rather than investigation. To his surprise, most of the usual predators had avoided them up to that point. The cave was in sight fifteen minutes after they landed, its dark, vine-covered mouth less than inviting.

"Well that's creepy," Alen pointed out.

"You don't say." Before the Jedi could whip out his saber, Xel unsheathed his knife and slashed through the first layer of vines like butter, doing the same to the next before rolling his eyes with a slight groan. A momentary focus of Force energy directed a Blast that shattered the rest of the vines. A finger went to his helmet, activating its night vision function and illuminating the tunnel before them. He winced when a bright spot appeared in his vision, the secondary vision mode deactivating as he saw a pale blue glow in his peripheral vision. "Thanks."

Alen nodded and took point, maneuvering through the cramped space until it came to a fork. "Are you feeling anything?"

Xel closed his eyes and focused, feeling a slight tug in his head. "Yes."

"Which way?"

Another moment's focus was enough to confirm his suspicions. "Left." Another fork, another tug. "Right."

This process repeated for several minutes, taking them through a winding path through the inside of the cave so intricate, neither of them could retrace their steps once the tug stopped. Xel's eyes opened as he felt it go, realizing he hadn't been looking where he was going; he'd been relying on the Force the entire time. Dark blue eyes looked from behind his visor into the blackness beyond the confines of Alen's saber. His night vision activated to show a massive chamber in front of them, and as he started contemplating just how they were going to find the crystal in it, the tug returned, gentler but still as directive.

"Alen," he said as they kept walking, "something's been bothering me."

"Yes?"

"Vader...Vader killed Dad, without a second thought, just because he stood between us. Mom did the same thing."

"So?"

"So why did he take her _alive_?" Xel felt a chill over their Bond.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "And I really don't want to find out."

Xel could only silently agree as the tug became more and more insistent. His head turned in every direction, scanning for anything out of the ordinary.

_"Feel, don't think,"_ he could hear Telia saying. _"Don't trust your eyes."_

A small smile came to his face at the memory before he heard a small, predatory hiss. "Alen, if you'd be so kind, turn that thing off."

"What?"

"Turn it off. Trust me."

The saber closed down with a hiss, leaving them in pitch darkness...or so it seemed at first. The more they looked, though, the more it seemed like there was a pale glow coming from somewhere in the cave. The brothers made their way toward it, the Force guiding their steps to an overlook. Ten feet below them, on the other side of the chamber, was a large, glowing crystal formation, blue in color.

"Gotcha," Xel whispered, crouching in preparation to leap down.

"Be careful," Alen warned.

"Don't worry. I braved this jungle once before, when I was young and foolish."

"You _do_ realize it's only been ten months, right?"

He dropped down with a thud. "All the time in the galaxy." Firm, even strides brought him within twenty feet of the crystal. A push from the Force stopped him in his tracks, and he turned slightly to the left right before he heard that same hiss. Glowing yellow eyes peered out at him from the darkness, and he set his stance as he heard a _snap-hiss_ from above and behind.

"No!" he shouted. "This is _my_ fight."

Alen kept his saber on but didn't interfere, a small pang of fear coming over their Bond.

Xel slowly drew his knife, the metal glinting in the pale glow of the crystal on his right as the creature drew closer. He had his suspicions about exactly what this thing was, but only the spines and plates confirmed them once it came closer. An ever-so-slight shudder ran through him at the recognition. _Zakkeg._ His teeth clenched.

"It must have been drawn to the crystal," Alen commented.

Xel merely grunted. "Whatever the case, it's in my way." All his attention focused on the massive creature, its teeth baring at him. "Come on then," he taunted, circling it slowly. "You think you're the king of this cave? Of anything?" He laughed derisively. "You're nothing, just a simple, stupid beast."

It almost seemed to understand him by the way it snarled.

"You think I'll fall like the others?" he asked, motioning to a pile of bones near the crystal. "No. I'm not the prey here." He pointed at the Zakkeg with his knife. "You are. And if you tangle with me, you _will_ fail. I haven't fought through the dark corridors and bright citadels of the galaxy to fall here, to the likes of you. So come on." When it continued circling, he snarled and growled at it animalistically. "Come on!"

The creature roared and charged straight for him, mouth wide open, teeth bared, as Xel called on the Force and leapt straight onto its back, twisting midair to land with his legs around its neck.

"You—" He punched the tip of his knife under an upper neck plate and pushed it up like a lever. "Are—" He grabbed onto its bony head plate for stability as it tried to buck him off, rearing up his knife arm. "Nothing!" The _beskar_ plunged between the crooked plates, punching into the soft flesh below and bypassing all its natural defenses to pierce its brain. The Zakkeg swayed on its four legs for a few steps before falling forward, dead. Xel landed ten feet away, having leapt off a moment before, blade dripping. He cleaned the weapon, sliding the metal across a nearby rock, before returning it to its sheath and approaching the source of the light.

His gloved hand touched the crystal formation as his eyes closed, reveling in the strange sensations coming from it in the Force. He could almost feel it pulsing under his hand as he felt along its surface, taking a knee and reaching down until he found something odd. His eyes opened to look down at the deep blue crystal resting against his fingers, a single, small object at the center of the formation, disconnected from the rest. His head cocked to the side.

"Crystals don't just fall off," he said quietly, an eerie feeling in his gut. He picked it up, turning it over in his hand and letting it settle in his open palm. The structure of the crystal was incredibly intricate, and it seemed to just draw him in. It just...fit him. He smiled.

"Looks like you've been chosen."

Xel looked up to see Alen standing beside him and nodded.

"That's an Adegan crystal, specifically..." Alen took a long look. "Mephite, I believe."

"Powerful?"

"Certainly uncommon, especially with the Empire cracking down on all viable crystals. If it fits you, then it fits."

Xel turned it over in his hand, pulling off his helmet with the other and crossing his legs as he sat by the light of the formation. He unclipped a box from his belt, flipping the top open. "Let's see just how well."

...

"A lightsaber is more than just a weapon."

A blue crystal raised from the ground seemingly on its own, a skeleton of frames, wires, and lenses forming around it.

"As you grow in power, so will it."

Metal plates attached to the joints of the skeleton, turning and pivoting to find their proper places and angles.

"As you mature as a person, so it will as a tool."

A switch attached to a circuit between a high-energy Diatum cell and the wires, a power adjustment knob regulating the current.

"Your actions define what it symbolizes."

More plates formed around the skeleton, sealing around each other in a network of interlocking shields.

"It is your life, a mirror of who you truly are."

The end cap screwed on as the emitter head came in from the other angle, the notched grip layering in on the lower half of the hilt.

"It is your strength, your will, your passion."

Ciridium plating sealed the last piece of the hilt, the notched, golden metal comprising the upper grip around the exposed switch.

"It is the torch that lights up the darkness...or embodies it."

The _beskar_ hilt glinted in the faint light of the cave, spinning slowly and rising with its owner as he stood, floating gently into his waiting hands. The Mando slowly opened his eyes, looking at the starkly practical yet elegant design of the device in his hands, dark blue eyes drifting to the activation switch next to his right thumb. One push of the digit sent a three-foot, sapphire-tinged blade shooting from the hilt with a loud ring, his lightsaber activating for the first time.

Xel cocked his head at the glowing shaft, head spinning in wonder as a small smile crept to his face.

_Who says it can't do both?_

* * *

AN: Xel's lightsaber has a different activation sound from pretty much every other lightsaber in this story. Red blades, I find in the films, typically have the same sound as Vader's when he first confronts Luke on Bespin. Others, blue, green, etc. typically have the ones featured in the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Xel's...is Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi.

Decided to release a day early, since this chapter was full-length and the next one isn't. Chapter 16 will be released on Friday.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - The Emperor Arrives/The Death of Yoda/Obi-Wan's Revelation: 7:13-8:03—lightsaber assembly and activation


	16. The Hunt Begins

"It is the torch that lights up the darkness...or embodies it."

The _beskar_ hilt glinted in the faint light of the cave, spinning slowly and rising with its owner as he stood, floating gently into his waiting hands. The Mando slowly opened his eyes, looking at the starkly practical yet elegant design of the device in his hands, dark blue eyes drifting to the activation switch next to his right thumb. One push of the digit sent a three-foot, sapphire-tinged blade shooting from the hilt with a loud ring, his lightsaber activating for the first time.

Xel cocked his head at the glowing shaft, head spinning in wonder as a small smile crept to his face.

_Who says it can't do both?_

…

2 hours later

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

1 year, 2 months BBY

The soft hum of a lightsaber pervaded the ship's armory, the most open space in the vessel, as Xel used his lightsaber for the very first time. Two shots from practice remotes were blocked with ease, followed by strikes from four others, as Xel kept up a conversation with his brother.

"So," Alen said, "Mandalore the Preserver came into power after the Mandalorians were scattered?"

"Yep," Caden replied, blocking another shot and transferring his saber to another hand to keep up his cadence. "If you're familiar with the history of the Jedi, then you know about Revan."

Alen snorted. "Of course."

"Well," Xel grunted, rolling under a simultaneous salvo and coming up in a horizontal block, "for a time, we called him Revan the Butcher." Xel spun his saber in a Circle of Shelter for barely a moment before using the Force to drive back two remotes temporarily.

"The Butcher?"

"He almost singlehandedly slaughtered dozens of our finest warriors, including Mandalore himself. Mandalore the Ultimate was slain in single combat, a duel at Malachor V." Xel ducked another shot, slashing through the paths of two others before deflecting a fourth. "If that weren't bad enough, he took the Mask of Mandalore and hid it."

Alen's eyebrows furrowed. "What's the big deal about a mask?"

"There isn't one now, but back then, only those who possessed the Mask were acknowledged as true Mandalores. We were aimless, guideless, purposeless. Revan forced us to become assassins and mercenaries, and by so doing prevented us from conquering the galaxy or ever again assembling force enough to." Xel rolled backward, deactivating his saber while in motion and reactivating to block another four shots in rapid succession.

"So did your people just vote the tradition out?"

Xel shrugged. "Basically. Anyway…at some point, Revan lost his memory."

"Yes, I recall that in my studies. He became Dark Lord of the Sith before being betrayed by his apprentice, then came back and beat Darth Malak in his seat of power."

"And he traveled with the man who would become Mandalore the Preserver."

"So…you think he gave this guy the Mask?"

Xel waved the remotes to a stop before deactivating his lightsaber. "It's not a difficult deduction. Granted, the fact that he had amnesia would call the story into question quite a bit, but…" He shrugged. "At this point, it doesn't really matter. Our Mandalores are chosen by their traits, by who is truly most fit to lead. Strength, cunning, and, most importantly, courage are all paramount among us."

"So," Alen said contemplatively, "if you were to, say, hone your skills, both Mandalorian and Jedi, to a laser-fine edge, you could potentially become Mandalore."

He shrugged. "I guess. Never really thought about it." Xel leaned back against a workbench, hefting his new lightsaber and examining it closely.

"Have you integrated the Ruusan crystal yet?"

Xel looked up and shook his head. "Not yet. Still getting used to disassembling it without actually touching it."

"Well, I mean you _can _touch it, it's just…" Alen smiled and crossed his arms. "How much cooler is it to just put it together with your mind?"

Xel raised an eyebrow. "I'd rather not have something blow up in my face, thank you."

"The only way that'll happen is if you screw around with the power cell."

"Oh."

Xel seated himself in a nearby chair and reached into the hardcase on his belt, pulling out the Ruusan crystal and looking into its matrices. He released it and closed his eyes, focusing the Force and levitating both the crystal and his saber. The lower section of his lightsaber disassembled, exposing his Adegan crystal's protective skeleton and the extra slot he built in for any additions. The _beskar_ sheath hovered several inches away as the Ruusan crystal floated up and mounted itself in the slot, rotating to find the perfect position and setting in solidly as he closed the gap behind it. The saber reassembled itself a few moments later, a few rough clinks demonstrating that Xel was still having a little trouble.

He chewed his lip a little at that fact before reaching up and snatching his lightsaber out of the air. Xel stood and strode toward the cockpit, clipping the saber to the left side of his belt using a magnetic seal similar to that on his helmet.

"What's our next move?" Alen asked.

"You're asking me? My ideas ran out after Dxun. Once we get your ship back from Maila…and _I_ give her a long overdue payment, everything that we had yet to do will be done."

Alen pursed his lips. "Not everything."

An image of Telia flashed over their Bond. Xel nodded resolutely. "Right. One way or another, we have to find her."

"I—" Alen fidgeted and played with his hands nervously. "I don't know where to look, or how."

Xel smirked slightly before putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "_Vod_, can we agree right here, right now, that age is irrelevant between us? You can do things I can't, and the reverse is true. Until we get Mom back, we're gonna need each other." He held out his empty hand. "Agreed?"

Alen barely glanced at his hand before shaking it and nodding. "Agreed."

…

Nar Shaddaa

"You weren't kidding when you said the trip was short."

Xel shrugged. "I rarely kid, but when I do, it has nothing to do with business." He lifted a hardcase and laid it on Maila's desk firmly, nodding toward it.

The Zeltron lifted the lid, eyes widening and eyebrows rising. "What's this?"

He just smiled and nodded at it again.

Her eyes narrowed as she leaned toward the case. "Wait…" She fingered through the cred chips inside, mouthing the calculations she was performing in her head. "Xel, this is—"

"16K, as promised."

A smile blossomed on her face. "It's been five months, Xel. There's no need to—"

"A deal's a deal, no matter how long it takes to fulfill."

She sighed and smiled wider at the case, closing it and tucking it into a drawer under her desk. They were both silent for a few moments, neither moving. "So…what will you do now?"

Xel chewed his cheek, a frown of concentration falling over his features. "I need to protect my family…so I will."

A raven eyebrow rose. "I get the feeling that means quite a bit of death."

He smiled wryly and crossed his arms. "What gave it away?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's just the look on your face."

He smiled wider, eyes narrowing slightly as he approached and slowly bent over her desk, laying his hands down on the edges. "And what might that be?"

Maila smirked slightly, leaning back in her chair to put a little distance between them. "Kind of how you're looking at me right now. Like a predator."

Xel raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked coyly, walking around her desk and approaching her chair with slow steps.

"Mhm," she answered, deliberately turning away from him.

He leaned down, lips brushing against her ear, as he whispered. "And what makes you think that's a bad thing?"

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she smiled widely. _Oh, he _is _a fast learner._ His lips brushed her neck as she craned it to give him easier access, the sensations deliciously tickling her skin. About five seconds in, it stopped quite suddenly, and she felt him pull away. A small frown creased her lips as she turned toward him, noting a much deeper one on his face.

"Xel? What's wrong?"

"I…" His voice was quiet and cracking, almost pained.

She stood and approached him, taking his hands in hers. "Xel?"

"I can't."

Those two words, plus his tone and expression, told her everything she needed to know. "I see." She pulled her hands away, taking her seat again.

"I'm sorry."

Maila gulped and nodded. "I know."

"Where I'm going…there's no place for what we have. It's kill or be killed, and I won't leave ties back to you."

"You're trying to protect me?"

He hooked his thumbs in his belt and leaned back, breaking eye contact. "Not entirely. If no one knows we're connected—"

"Then no one can use me against you."

Xel nodded.

Maila pursed her lips. "It…makes sense." She nodded and forced a smile on her face, noticing him do the same. "Well…when you're done…_if_ you're ever done, my doors will be open."

"I…doubt that." He looked away. "And I don't want you to do that."

"What are you talking about?"

He locked eyes with her. "If I come back…I won't be the man you wanted."

"I don't think anything could change you_ that_ much." She crossed her arms. "After all, I sent you that first message after you planted a tracker on my neck and tailed me to a warehouse that became the site of a shootout. For all I knew, you were planning to kill me if I'd been there."

Xel managed a small smile.

"So go, Xel. Besides, it's not as if we were going steady."

He smiled wider. "Right." He turned toward the door and started walking, stopping in the doorway. "I'll…see you later."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

As Xel walked out of her office and, for the moment, her life, Maila turned back to her datapad and uselessly tried to ignore the uncomfortable pang in her heart.

…

The Kandosii'tal, Nar Shaddaa

"So Xel, any ideas on where to start?"

The Mando pressed his lips together as he thumbed the _Kandosii'tal's_ repulsorlifts on and brought the ship into an ascending hover, eyes flickering to the holoprojector showing his seated brother. "Not sure. I've never hunted a Darth before."

"You think he's taken that personal an interest in her?"

"Maybe, maybe not, but if the fact that he let her live is any indication, he's got plans for Telia."

"Right…"

"Alen? We'll find her. We're gonna get her back."

"I—I know."

Alen's ship followed behind Xel's as he jetted out of atmosphere. "For the moment, we're going to treat this like any other hunt. Gather intelligence on our target, figure out patterns. Since this is _Darth Vader_ we're dealing with, both are going to be difficult to do."

"Then…now what?"

"Fear not." He looked at his right pauldron. "Dad taught me everything he knew, and if there's anyone who could find her, it's him. For now, just trust me and follow my lead."

Alen's hologram nodded and set his features.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Xel couldn't help but feet a slight flutter of excitement. _Been a while since I've gone on a proper hunt. _His hands tightened around the control yoke as a malevolent smile came to his face. His hand reached for the hyperdrive controls, engaging a course to Obroa-skai as Alen followed directly behind, one message drifting over their comlink before they shot into hyperspace.

"_Oya, ner vod._ Let's go hunting."


	17. Iola Voss

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Xel couldn't help but feet a slight flutter of excitement. _Been a while since I've gone on a proper hunt. _His hands tightened around the control yoke as a malevolent smile came to his face. His hand reached for the hyperdrive controls, engaging a course to Obroa-skai as Alen followed directly behind, one message drifting over their comlink before they shot into hyperspace.

"_Oya, ner vod._ Let's go hunting."

…

6 months later

Bogden

8 months BBY

"Where did you see her last?"

"Lower plates, about two miles downhill from here."

Xel looked down, fingering the holo in his gloved hand as his potential client looked into his black visor for any sign of acceptance. He nodded once. "I'll take the job." He pocketed the holo and turned around, moving downhill and tapping the side of his helmet. "Alen, you there?"

"I am," he responded evenly, though the background noise on his end indicated he was climbing rather briskly.

"How's the gravity treating you?"

The other boy snorted loudly. "Like a gundark mother treats an intruder."

"Just watch for sinkholes. This whole planet's surface is like sand. One wrong step and you'll find yourself buried under a couple dozen tons of rock."

"The Force will guide me."

Xel rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "You know, sometimes I question your sanity."

"Come on, how can you say that if you've felt it?"

"Because I don't blindly rely on it," he retorted, mounting onto a speeder bike and throttling up. "I don't blindly rely on anything, not my _beskar'gam_, not my blasters." He rounded a corner of rocks, noting the vibrations and slight movement brought about by Bogden's constantly shifting tectonic plates. "You can arm yourself with the fanciest kit and shiniest armor, but at the end of the day, the only things you can rely on are your body and mind."

"Well, seeing as how the Force is connected to both, doesn't that just make it an extension?"

Xel opened his mouth and thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Fair point." His bike zipped through the rocky crags and went over a rocky bridge, a gust of heat coming from an exposed vent in the ground 20 feet below. "Who the _shab_ would _ever_ want to live here?"

"Those who don't have anywhere else to go. I reckon we'll find a good number of fugitives and/or criminals here."

"Agreed. That also means that my bounty may not have just been a victim of the shifting ground."

"Speaking of, who _is_ your bounty?"

Xel glanced at an image in the upper-left corner of his HUD. "Iola Voss. She's something called a Jerun, a species I've never even seen before."

"I haven't heard of them either. You have a holo?"

Caden tapped a key on his left forearm, sending the picture to Alen's datapad.

"Well…she doesn't look all that different from a human, apart from the, er, eyebrows."

"Yeah, those _are _a little weird, like the rest of her hair. It's almost like they're…fleshy, not dead cells."

"We've seen stranger things on the streets of Nar Shaddaa."

Xel grunted as the bike's side plating smacked briefly against a shifting boulder. "True. Anyway, I'm coming up on her last known location now." The bike shot toward a steadily widening rift, the throttle maxing out as he barely cleared the gap. "Too close," he muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'll be going underground soon, so I may drop out of contact for a bit. Send me an update when you have something."

"You got it."

Xel pulled his speeder to a stop by the entrance of a cave, laying it down on a patch of flat ground and powering it down completely as he dismounted and marched into the hole, drawing his right blaster and turning on his night vision, all six senses trained on the ominous darkness ahead. He made sure his suit was air-sealed before striding forward into the mouth of a potentially suffocating death.

…

Just ten miles away laterally, but actually over twenty given differences in elevation, Alen climbed the last set of rocks that led to his target. Clambering into a crouch, he dashed behind a rock and pressed his back against it, slowly leaning to peek around the corner. _Just like we thought._ He withdrew behind cover, taking a deep breath and reaching for the cloth hanging off the side of his open helmet, drawing it up and left to clip its loose side to an identical position, masking the lower half of his face and leaving only his eyes exposed to the harsh atmosphere and prying eyes. Alen moved from cover to cover, staying as low as possible and timing his movements with the patterns of the guards patrolling the perimeter.

There wasn't supposed to be any fighting on this op, and if the now-fourteen Jedi had anything to say about it, he would stick to the plan. The trick was not getting seen. As he glanced around another corner, two Mirialan guards passed by, toting BlasTech A-280 blaster rifles. He figured the rest would have similar kit. Light footfalls took him toward the small outpost, within ten feet of its massive circular base, the tower jutting upward about seventy feet with five floors. He closed his eyes and called on the Force, channeling it into his legs and leaping twenty feet upward to the second floor, a quick Force scan of that level showing no one in sight.

If the intelligence that had brought them here was good, what he was looking for was on the fifth floor. He carefully made his way to the nearby turbolift and keyed a summons, scanning the elevator for life and finding nothing. That said, he was almost perfectly calm and relaxed when the doors slid open—

Revealing a half-dozen B-1 battle droids on the other end.

As Alen's right hand fell to the new Bryar blaster pistol at his left hip, one voiced thought came to his head.

"_Osik_."

…

Xel rounded another corner, blasters held high at the ready as he scanned the dark rocky corridors for any signs of his target. The walls around him groaned under the stress of the moving tectonic plates and small rocks and dust started to rain down on him. His teeth gritted. _Gotta hurry this up._ Much as he hated to admit it, he would never get this job done in time to avoid being buried if he didn't rely fully on the guidance of the Force to keep him alive, so he opened himself completely and started running. The hunter side of his brain was screaming for him to take more caution, but the animal side was screaming for him to get his business done and get the hell out.

No matter how disciplined one is, when fear is involved, the animal side usually wins. Heavy booted footfalls carried Xel rapidly through one chamber after the next, the darkness starting to light up a little as he got closer to a life sign. _She must have gone toward the light in hopes of escape._ The moment he entered a fairly large, circular room, he felt a warning from the Force and ducked just in time for a large rock to sail over his head. A quick glance was enough to confirm his suspicions.

"Stand down!" he shouted, aiming both blasters at the attacker's center mass.

Two slender hands raised, but not in surrender. Another rock flew toward him, and he cocked his head as it bounced harmlessly off his armor. Xel's blasters slid into his holsters solidly as he strode toward the shadowed form on the other side of the room. She shrunk back slightly, her stance shifting to a coiled crouch, as if she were preparing to pounce. "It won't do you any good. Really."

A sharp hiss preceded the figure's leap. Xel effortlessly sidestepped and dumped her on her back, pinning her there with his right forearm.

"Are you done?"

Sky blue eyes looked up into his unyielding visor, forest green "hair" complementing them beautifully and contrasting with tan skin.

"Who are you?" a feminine voice asked.

"Your ticket out of here," he answered, letting off the pressure and offering his hand.

She took it.

"Mel Yonis sent me to find you," he added as he pulled her to her feet, noting for the first time that this woman was a good inch taller than him.

Iola Voss smirked and snickered derisively. "I'll _bet_ he did. Soon as he figured out I slipped that ingot out of his bag when he dumped me down here."

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait…what?"

A sudden shove from the Force prompted Xel to tackle Iola behind a fallen rock, narrowly pushing her out of the way of a blaster salvo.

"Cease fire!" he yelled, drawing a blaster and preparing to nail whoever was shooting at him. As he reached out with the Force, he realized there were four of them. "Yonis!"

The blaster fire stopped abruptly.

"Ah," the man said mockingly from the shadows, his voice echoing off the walls, "Mister Caden. A shame you had to go digging."

"I didn't _dig_ for anything. Voss volunteered the information the moment I mentioned your name. But now that she did, I'm curious. What's this about dumping her here?"

"That ingot is worth over 100K on the black market."

"And you just couldn't help yourself with the obligation of splitting it with your partner." Xel shook his head. "Typical criminal scum." He popped out of cover, nailing one of the attackers with a trio of shots to center mass before returning behind the rock. "If you were planning to stab me in the back, you should've brought more men." He shot the base of a hanging stalactite above an enemy, sending the shard crashing onto him. "And tougher." Caden could feel Yonis' anger in the Force and rolled his eyes as a result. _Fool. As if your anger helps any._

"I don't need to beat you, Caden. I just need to get that ingot and make sure you and your new friend never leave here alive."

"Fat chance!" Iola yelled, firing a blaster in the direction of Yoris' voice and, surprisingly, tagging him, if the screams were any indication.

When Xel looked at her, he realized she'd pilfered one of his own blasters. His eyes narrowed. _Smooth. Not many people can pickpocket me._ A nudge in the back of his head prompted him to turn around, but the attacker was faster. His helmet slammed against the rock they were hiding behind, dazing him as the large figure disarmed Iola and picked her up by the neck. As she sputtered for air, he tried to regain his footing, eyes glancing up to see a Togorian holding Iola suspended and reaching into a bag at her hip, pulling out an aurodium ingot and pocketing it before dumping her unceremoniously on Xel.

The massive bipedal cat sprinted back toward Yoris, handing him the ingot, which glinted faintly in the minimal light.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Yoris hissed painfully, placing a device on the entrance's archway.

The rapid series of beeps coming from it was Xel's only warning as he picked up the half-unconscious Jerun at his feet and ran for cover.

…

Repainted metal clattered to the floor as a Bryar blaster pistol discharged once again. _Great, just what I needed_. Alen gritted his teeth as he entered the turbolift, hurriedly keying the top floor as loud footsteps reached his ears. The doors closed and the lift shot upward, taking him to the fifth floor mere seconds later. When they slid open again, he was only a little surprised to see more droids on the other end. A Force Push sent most of them flying back into a wall, but two or three managed to heft E-5 rifles and fire in his direction, but he dodged their shots and returned three of his own, all of them neatly severing their metal heads.

Shouts and more rushing footsteps reached his ears as he ran out the door, sealing the room beyond with the intact droids inside as he rushed for his objective. The loud _bdapps_ of A-280 rifles rang out, several crimson laser bolts smacking into the walls next to Alen as he ran on the circular balcony of the outpost, managing to get to another door without incident. He sealed himself inside, turning toward the far end of the room to see a Corellian man sitting at a desk, blaster in hand and aimed at his head. Alen raised his hands, blaster held loosely.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The ice in the other man's voice was enough to freeze Mustafar.

"I can tell you what I'm _not_ doing here. I'm not looking for a fight."

Green eyes narrowed at the boy.

"I need information, on a shipment that you oversaw just two weeks ago."

"I don't discuss business with strangers."

Alen slowly holstered the Bryar and removed the cloth from his face. "Then let's not be strangers. I'm Lan Milae." He held out his hand, slowly withdrawing it as it became clear the man wouldn't play along. "Look, just a few answers and I'll be out of your hair for good."

The man's finger tightened around the trigger of his weapon. "No deal."

The shot missed Alen's head by barely a half inch as he snapped sideways, raising his right hand simultaneously. His fingers made a grabbing motion, and the man sputtered and froze for a moment before faceplanting on his desk, blaster falling out of limp fingers. Alen sighed and strode over to him, pulling his chair back and thumbing through his datapad. _Shipment…two standard weeks ago…Rishi system. _He pulled the exact coordinates from the 'pad, downloading them to a data disc and putting that disc in a pouch at his belt. He laid the 'pad down, wiping all traces of his hack, and put a hand on the Corellian's forehead, channeling Force into his mind and erasing the memory of their meeting before walking toward his secondary exit.

The door opened a few seconds later when he read the latent Force energy and punched in the correct sequence, allowing him full access to a secret turbolift. The lift went straight down six floors, to an underground hangar with a small airborne speeder. He quickly keyed it on and shot out of the hangar's exit into the fading light, pulling his comlink from his belt.

"Xel, if you can hear me, mission accomplished. I've got the numbers."

…

Several sharp coughs gave Xel extra proof that his bounty was still alive despite her former partner's best attempts. His armored boots met the dust and pebble-covered ground, body rising to a kneeling position as he got his bearings.

"Voss? Miss Voss!"

"Here," she coughed, crawling toward him and brushing off rocky debris. "Can't believe that bastard."

"I can," he replied coolly, approaching where the entrance had been to see a pile of massive rocks they could never hope to move.

"This sort of thing happens all the time then."

"In my world, yes." He ran his fingers along the rock walls, looking for any fault lines, anything he could use a wrist rocket to make an exit with. "In most of the galaxy, actually."

"I wouldn't know."

He gave her a sideways look before returning to his task.

"If you're looking for another way out, there isn't one. Trust me, I've checked."

"I tend to be a lot more thorough than most people."

"My people don't overlook details, even in this darkness."

Xel blinked as a thought occurred to him. "Darkness," he whispered, turning toward the faint light. "There has to be a gap where that's coming from," he added, pointing in the light's direction.

"There is, but the rock around it is unstable. Any explosives would send the whole place caving in on us."

Just then, a massive rumble shook the cave, and they were both made acutely aware of the planet's shifting.

"Then again," she said, "it looks to me like a cave-in is damn near inevitable. Follow me."

They both ran across the chamber, rounding a corner to find a small, hand-sized gap where the fading sunlight was streaming through.

"See? The wall where this hole is supports the ceiling of this whole area. If we blow it up—"

"We'll be crushed," he finished, looking over the rock and focusing in the Force. _It's not terribly thick…I could probably Blast it open._ He looked back at Iola and pursed his lips. _Which would thoroughly expose me._ He clenched his teeth and stared at the hole taunting him, noticing larger and larger rocks starting to fall near and around them. _We don't have time for subtlety._ He reached down to a slim, long hardcase on the right side of his belt, thumb depressing a button and opening its bottom as a cylinder dropped into his hand.

"Stand back," he ordered, nudging her with his right arm as he pointed the cylinder out to the side.

A blazing sapphire blade sprung into existence with a loud, ringing hiss, its edge's color nearly matching Xel's eyes and definitely matching their fury as it plunged into the rock wall. Molten rock spat from where he was cutting a doorway just large enough to fit one of them at a time, trying to make an exit without immediately destabilizing the cave. Just as a large rock smacked the ground right next to Voss, causing her to yelp, the door was finished and dislodged with a firm, Force-enhanced kick from Xel. Rocks tumbled out of the hole as the Mando crouched and edged himself through, his lightsaber powering down with a hiss as Iola followed.

"Woah!" he yelled, holding her back with one arm as he stared into a mile-long drop.

"Okay," she said panickedly, "this is a problem."

"Not really," he said confidently, putting both arms around her midsection and leaping off the side.

She screamed at the top of her lungs as they free-fell over 200 feet before he kicked in his new jetpack, turning their drop into a glide that became a climb. His left hand raised and thumb flexed in a particular way, firing a grappling hook that adhered to the highest point on the mountain the cave was carved into, reeling them in and giving extra push as they shot upward. He arced off at the last second, detaching the line and taking them toward the entrance of the cave on another side. His eyes widened at the steadily opening rifts between the mountain and the way he'd came even as they touched down next to his battered speeder.

"Well," he said, successfully activating its engine, "at least they didn't sabotage it. Climb on!"

Iola held onto his armored midsection for dear life as they shot off away from the sunset, speeding over rocks and flat ground to make their way back up the way he'd came. The rift he'd jumped over last time was even bigger than before, and this time they were going uphill. Gritting his teeth, Xel maxed out the throttle as he felt the fear of the woman behind him and closed his eyes, focusing all of his own fear and anger in the Force. A slight nudge to the forward steering vanes tipped the bike upward, its engine giving a massive diagonal thrust as they cleared the edge of their side.

The bike flew through the air, arcing steadily downward as the girl shrieked and the Mando kept his focus on keeping them aloft. A loud skidding noise reached his ears as a jolt reached his body, the bike sputtering for a few beats before resuming its normal suicidal pace. He glanced back and down before returning his eyes to the road. _We made it…actually made it._ A smile came to his face as he leaned forward against the handlebars.

"You all right?" Xel could hear Iola trying to force back her vomit as she answered.

"Please…don't—ever—do that again."

The Mando grinned as he noticed a blinking light on his HUD, opening the message and hearing his brother's voice blare through his helmet's internal speakers.

"Mission accomplished. I've got the numbers."

His smile widened as he absently guided them back to Yonis' base of operations. _After all this time…finally._ His eyes closed reverently. _We're coming, _buir_. Just hold on a little longer._

…

A loud beep from Alen's comlink prompted him to pull it off his belt. "Alen here."

"Got your message, _vod_. So we're in business?"

Alen smiled and nodded. "We are. How are things on your end?"

"Uh…slight issue. My 'employer' decided to double-cross me and maximize his profits. I got the girl out, but he stole an aurodium ingot from her before leaving us for dead."

"Ohh…bad idea on his part. Never leave a Mando to die, and _especially_ not my brother."

"Damn right. Might need your help though."

"Got it. Just send me the coordinates." Alen's datapad beeped, and he checked it briefly before nodding. "On my way. Sit tight 'til I get there."

"No promises. I don't take kindly to attempts on my life."

Alen just rolled his eyes and closed the connection. _Always on the move._

…

Xel's right index pressed against the side of his helmet, zooming his built-in macrobinoculars out as he finished surveying the small complex below.

"So."

He turned to the speaker. "So?"

Iola nodded at his belt, specifically the right side. "Where'd you get it?"

Xel turned away and returned his eyes to the complex. "None of your business."

"Hey, it's just a question."

"A question with a lot of uncomfortable ramifications for me. These—" he retrieved his saber from the hardcase, "—are highly illegal under Imperial law."

"Then why do you have one?"

He gave her a long look behind his t-visor. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a law-abiding citizen." He reloaded his pistols, having gotten his second back from Iola. "Furthest thing from it," he muttered to himself.

"What do you mean?"

Xel sighed. "You ask too many questions."

Iola immediately fell silent as they watched the complex for another minute before the whine of a speeder's engine reached their ears. Xel drew one pistol and turned halfway before he recognized his brother's Force signature and lowered the weapon. The helmeted boy had returned the cloth over his features and dismounted from his vehicle, opting to crouch-run toward them and slide into cover.

"Took you long enough," Xel chided.

"Sorry if I don't drive like a demon," Alen quipped, raising a pair of macrobinoculars to his eyes. "How many?"

"Hard to tell. I'd say just over a dozen."

His brother gave him a long look. The Force would be able to tell him without a doubt how many living creatures were inside the facility, but as Alen had just found out for himself, living creatures weren't the only threats on this planet.

"That said," Xel added, "we've taken worse odds."

"You have?"

Alen turned to the source of the voice and appraised her as if noticing her for the first time. "Iola Voss?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes?"

"Hm." He nodded and stretched out his hand. "Alen Li-am."

Xel gave him a scalding look behind his faceplate, and Alen sent just as much annoyance back over their Bond. The Mando rolled his eyes. "Let's just get this done. We can exchange introductions later."

"What exactly is _this_?" Voss asked.

"What do you think? We're taking your old friend down and claiming what's ours." He glanced at her. "Or, rather, _yours_. If at all possible, though, I'd like the fee he promised me. My generosity doesn't come with an excessive price tag, but it doesn't come free either."

Though Alen was staring at him judgementally, Iola simply nodded.

"Sounds fair to me. You _did_ save my life. If all you want are a few credits, I'll gladly settle that debt."

"Here," Alen said, passing her a small hold-out blaster.

"Thanks."

"Follow my lead," Xel said, his deep voice filtering through his helmet's speakers intimidatingly.

They both nodded in response as he sprinted down the rocky hill they were perched on, Xel reaching down to his belt and snatching a detpack off his belt, throwing it twenty feet toward the wall surrounding the complex, then hitting the trigger. A sizable explosion tore a six-foot hole in the wall, the smoke just starting to waft out when a six-foot Mandalorian stormed through, pistols firing full-auto as he tagged two human guards, Alen and Iola following close behind in a staggered pattern. Xel's jetpack fired up, taking him over a salvo of blaster fire and getting their attention as he fired off two wrist rockets near a cluster of them.

Guards flew through the air in charred masses, Alen slotting a Rodian dead center as Iola pegged two others in a similarly precise and expert fashion. Both brothers gave her a quick look before returning their attention to the battle. The complex they were fighting through was a mining center, built to take advantage of the shifting rock formations and find precious or industrial metals. Granted, some of both required advanced and volatile processes. The materials required for such processes often served as capable booby traps, and Xel aimed to take full advantage of them.

A small, malevolent smile came to Xel's face as he spotted a set of particularly volatile barrels and descended to ground level to reach them.

"Alen!" he shouted, tipping one over and rolling it in his direction.

The other boy ran toward it, ducking a shot and rolling to give it a firm mule kick in the enemy's direction. The kick propelled him backward into a roll, and he brought himself to a crouch, aiming his Bryar at the barrel and firing once. A rainbow-colored explosion greeted a cluster of three guards as the ridonium exploded beautifully, sending burning shrapnel and heat washing over them. Another barrel flew toward the next two, but they pulled back before Xel could detonate it. One of them whipped out a datapad and punched a few keys, prompting the sounds of metallic marching.

"Uh, Xel?" Alen said.

"Yeah?"

"You remember Dad's stories about the Clone Wars?"

"Don't tell me. Battle droids?"

"Yep."

"Battle droids?" Iola asked, eyes wide.

"Just stay behind us and you'll be fine," Alen assured, reaching for another gas cartridge to load into his Bryar.

A loud _pssht_ was the only warning before Voss rolled behind cover, blind-firing the holdout pistol and managing to slot two droids before withdrawing her hand.

Alen gave Xel a long look.

_"She's good,"_ he sent over their bond.

Xel just readjusted and fired a wrist rocket into a cluster of droids, plugging two others in the neck and severing their heads before spotting the man pulling the strings. The Force flowed through him as he released a long breath and lined up the sights of his right blaster. One squeeze of the trigger sent a single crimson plasma bolt into his head and the droids skittering to a stop.

"If you know what's good for you," Alen shouted to the last man, "you'll get the hell out of here!"

He considered it for barely a moment before dropping his blaster and tucking tail toward the nearest ship.

"Well…that was easy," Xel remarked.

Iola gave him a wide-eyed look. "Easy?"

He didn't answer, instead making his way to the administrative building he'd received his job from. His Force Sense swept over the structure, tagging just three life signs inside, one of them a swirling whirlpool of frustration and fear. A malevolent smile came to the Mando's face as he entered with an even stride.

"Mel," he said deeply.

"Caden," the man hissed back, his bodyguards leveling A-280s at his chest.

"I think you owe me something." He nodded toward the two figures in the doorway. "And her."

"You have to understand, it was nothing personal…just business."

Xel laughed darkly. "You tried to kill us. You did it to me, and her. It doesn't _get_ more personal than that."

Yoris actually smirked. "Can you really blame me though? I mean, an aurodium ingot that size...it's a hefty, hefty payday. Can you honestly tell me you wouldn't do the same thing? You_ are_ a mercenary, after all."

"I'm a _bounty hunter_," Xel corrected. "Big difference, and even if I were a merc, I'd never have turned on my partner." His right hand holstered its pistol. "Mandos don't do that."

"I stand corrected." Mel was silent for a moment. "So what now, Mando? You gonna kill me and my men?"

"You're the only one who's guaranteed death." A shiver was felt over his Bond. "The others still have a chance to walk away." When the bodyguards in question made no sign of leaving, Xel shrugged. "Suit yourselves."

Just then, a dark blur flashed through Xel's peripheral vision, prompting him to fire his left pistol on instinct, starting a chain reaction of ducks, rolls, and blaster fire. As soon as he had pulled the trigger, he knew he'd missed and braced himself for imminent impact. An instant later, he was bowled over by a massive Togorian and pinned to the ground, the massive, bipedal cat baring his fangs in his face. _Okay..._ Xel brought his helmet forward hard, breaking one of his opponent's lower fangs and shoving him off with some effort.

The cat scrambled to his feet, clawing at the Mando several times, the strikes ineffective against his _beskar_ shell. Xel raised his left hand to plug his opponent when he realized he'd dropped his blaster in the scuffle. _Enough playing. None of them are leaving here alive anyway._ Caden dropped his empty right hand to his belt, waiting for the Togorian to charge again to make his move. He could feel the rage in his opponent, the predatory confidence. _If I were you, I'd feel the same way._ Xel almost regretted how one-sided this was going to be.

The coiled spring released its tension as the massive cat leapt forward.

_Snap-hiss._

The smell of burning fur and flesh filled the small room as nearly every eye turned in the direction of the tangling hunters. Though all but two couldn't believe their eyes at first, the glowing blue shaft protruding from the Togorian's body was unmistakable. Xel reverently pulled his dead opponent off his blade, laying him on the ground and snapping his head upward to give his two living enemies a predatorial stare through his visor. As if the last bodyguard could feel what was about to happen, he sprinted for the nearest exit, only to be gunned down by Iola. Finally, only Yoris remained.

The man had literally backed himself into a corner, and was holding both hands up in a placatory gesture as the trio approached him.

"Hey," he said somewhat shakily, "we can work something out, right? I'll just give you the ingot, and you can let me be on my merry way…right?"

Xel cocked his head slightly as if thinking his offer over, the hum of his lightsaber the only audible noise other than that of the constantly shifting ground.

"Wrong."

The Mando lunged forward, impaling him and staying there as he wheezed out his last breaths. His saber deactivated, dropping Yoris with much less reverence than the Togorian as he strode over to Mel's desk and retrieved the aurodium, along with several thousand credits. Xel handed it to Iola without a word as he strode past her, out of the building and into the fading sunlight.

…

30 minutes later

"Took a nasty hit there."

Iola shrugged as Alen wrapped a bandage around her shoulder, around an injury she hadn't even noticed she'd sustained in the cave collapse. The rock that had acted as makeshift shrapnel was over two inches long and just under a half inch wide and thick. Honestly, Alen didn't know how she could be so nonchalant about it without considerable pain suppression training.

"Thanks," she said, shrugging on her jacket once he finished, "and not just for the patch job."

The brown-haired boy smiled widely and bowed as he closed his medkit. "I live to serve." He carried the container to his T6 shuttle and stowed it in a side compartment before returning to her, Xel mending a few scratches on his armor a few feet away, helmet on.

Iola jumped a little when she felt yet another tremor, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "I swear I'll never get used to this damned world."

Both brothers could sense more behind her words, but only Alen decided to comment on it. "If you don't like it here, why not leave?"

She shrugged. "And go where? The one ship that's still functioning was taken, and I don't know…anything about the greater galaxy."

Alen exchanged a look with Xel. "Well…we do." He felt his armored brother freeze.

Iola looked at him questioningly. "What are you getting at?"

"Alen," Xel interrupted, "can we talk for a second?"

The Jedi sighed and walked some distance away, joined by his brother a second later.

"No."

Alen's eyebrows knitted. "What?"

"Just no."

"Xel, what are you talking about?"

"We are _not_ picking up every waif and stray we come across. I thought we discussed this."

Alen rolled his eyes heavily. "And we haven't been. You think I'd be making the offer just out of pity? She's a crack-shot with a blaster and I've only seen reflexes like hers among Force-users. She'd be a great addition."

"To what? It's only been the two of us for the last six months, and I see no reason to change that."

The Jedi sighed and looked away. "Don't you ever feel…lonely? I mean, you spend most of your time on that ship of yours, alone."

Xel's hands curled into loose fists. "You could say that. It's necessary, though."

Ice blue eyes met a black t-visor. "Is it?"

"Alen…I know you were raised to think like a Jedi, to have compassion for others, but…this is _not_ the time for it. We don't have the time."

"What are you talking about? If I don't use what Mom taught me for the purpose I was trained, then what the hell am I doing?" Alen kept staring into his brother's unyielding visor until something clicked in his head. "Wait…" He let out a breath and smirked slightly. "You think…you think you're protecting her, don't you?"

Though Xel had blocked their Bond, his surprise was still evident in the Force. "Yes," he said quietly, looking away. "This life we live, the dangers we face…it's not something I'd wish on anyone."

"You mean like Maila?" Alen shook his head slowly. "Honestly, man, do you really think she'd have chosen to leave if you hadn't waved her off?"

"No, and that's the problem. She didn't understand the full gravity of what we're going through." They were both silent a while.

"Look, she can stay on my ship. You'd never even have to see her."

Xel sighed. "It's not about that. Do you really want to put someone else in danger? To drag her into the bloody mess we're in?"

Alen gave him a piercing look. "Xel, you can't honestly say that your decision with Maila was exclusively for her safety, can you?"

"Of course not. The less contact we have, the less reason the Empire has to cause trouble with her…and the lesser the chance of anyone trying to use her against me."

The Jedi gave Xel a long look. "Fair enough." A long pause followed.

"Look…I may not like it, but…it's your ship, your life, your call. If you think you can handle this, fine, just…make sure you're ready to deal with the consequences."

Alen nodded and turned back toward a patiently waiting Iola, both of them walking back, Xel arcing off to board the _Kandosii'tal_. "Hey, so…if you still wanna get off this planet…" Alen jerked a thumb toward the T6. "I've got an extra bunk."

The Jerun's eyes brightened significantly as she sat up straight, rising to her feet a second later. "Really? You'd do that…for a stranger?"

He shrugged. "I've got the room and you seem like a capable person, someone who could add value to my crew."

She cringed slightly. "Not sure how much help I'd be, but…if you're offering—"

"I am."

The tanned woman smiled widely and nodded. "Yes."

Alen smiled back. "Right then." He nodded toward the entrance ramp of his ship. "Come on."

…

Xel flicked several switches on his upper dashboard, balancing his ship's ascent as Alen followed him out of Bogden's atmosphere. He pulled a holocommunicator from his belt, putting the coordinates he'd received from Alen into the nav computer. _Outer Rim…Raydonia._ His eyes narrowed. _Remote, not well-known…perfect place to hide a Jedi prisoner._ He glanced at the shuttle in his peripheral vision and opened a comm. channel to Alen.

"Hey."

"You alone?" Xel asked.

"Yeah. Iola's still getting settled in her new quarters."

"Well tell her not to get too comfortable."

"Xel—"

"This isn't a mission for _auretiise_. It's personal."

"Right. Where are we gonna leave her then?"

Xel thought about it for a moment. "Nar Shaddaa. You think she'd be a valuable asset? Let her prove it by working for Maila a bit. Who knows? She might just learn something."

"That…actually sounds like a plan. Diverting to Nar Shaddaa."

Xel closed the channel and programmed a course to the Smuggler's Moon, hitting the hyperdrive a few seconds later. Not for the first time, Xel reached over the Bond between him and Telia, once again finding nothing but numbness at the other end but still sending as much love and reassurance as he could. _We're coming, _buir._ You are not forgotten._

* * *

AN: No, your eyes did not deceive you. I invented a species here. Iola's name is actually pronounced "EE-ola," or just "Yola," if you want to be lazy about it.


	18. Turn, Turn, Turn

Xel closed the channel and programmed a course to the Smuggler's Moon, hitting the hyperdrive a few seconds later. Not for the first time, Xel reached over the Bond between him and Telia, once again finding nothing but numbness at the other end but still sending as much love and reassurance as he could. _We're coming, _buir._ You are not forgotten._

...

1 day later

Nar Shaddaa

8 months BBY

"So, you're ditching me."

"Think of it as temporary offloading."

Iola Voss crossed her arms in front of the brothers, Xel crossing his arms right on back. "Uh huh. Translation: ditching me."

Alen pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Look, it's just for a little while. Maybe a day, two tops. We need to take care of something and...let's just say it's a private family matter."

Iola placed her hands on her hips. "I still don't see how a smuggler-slash-contractor pilot and Mandalorian are related."

"By blood," Xel answered immediately, shrugging. "It's just that simple."

"Whatever. I'm still not happy about this."

Before Xel could release whatever scathingly impatient remark he _knew_ he'd been about to let loose, Alen responded. "Look on the bright side; Maila'll be able to tell you more about the bigger galaxy around you. Let you in on good job opportunities. She's...not exactly legit, but she's reliable, and she treats her people well."

"And if she decides to send me offworld? What then?"

"She won't," Xel assured her. "Her business is mostly local, though you will need a transport, considering some of her jobs'll take you to the other side of Nar Shaddaa."

"Okay then, still need a ship."

Alen motioned toward the T6 on the landing pad. "You can take mine. We'll probably only need one ship for our mission anyway, and the _Kandosii'tal _is the best vessel we have."

"You damn right," Xel muttered.

Iola still looked peeved, but placated. "Fine. Just don't...don't leave me here, okay?"

Alen smiled warmly and put a hand on her shoulder. "Promise. I meant what I said when I told you you'd be good for my crew."

The tanned girl bit her lower lip before nodding slowly. "All right then. Pleasure meeting you both." She extended her hand to Alen, then Xel, who kind of stared at it for a while before putting her in an excessively tight grip.

"Same," he said rather halfheartedly before releasing her hand and moving back toward his ship.

When she thought he was out of earshot, she turned to Alen. "What's his problem with me?"

"He's got issues. Lots of issues. It's...really not you. Xel is just...Xel. Short-tempered, ill-disposed toward strangers, slow to trust...it's just his nature."

"How long did it take him to trust you? I mean, it's pretty evident you two didn't grow up together, otherwise I think you'd be a lot more alike."

Alen raised an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious? Hm. Well...not long, actually. But I'm family, so that's another matter entirely. To him, and to most Mandos, there's nothing more important than family. Nothing."

"I..." Iola looked over at the fully armored boy standing impatiently on the top of the _Kandosii's _gangplank. "I see. Anyway, I should let you two get going."

"Right. See you in a few." Alen turned back toward the Striker and jogged up the ramp, past a silently stewing Xel, who turned and followed him into the cockpit. "Ya know, you could at least _pretend_ you don't hate her, you know, for my sake."

"I _don't_ hate her," he responded with a shrug, settling into the pilot's seat and turning on all necessary systems. "She just has nothing to do with this."

"And you'd like to keep it that way, I know. Protect her, protect the family." Alen sighed. "In the service of the greater good, though, some things can't be helped."

"From my point of view, our _aliit_ is the greatest good. Period."

The Jedi gave him a sideways look. "Then we'll have to agree to disagree." He was silent a while longer as Xel performed the preflight check. "You sure you don't wanna see her?"

He tensed almost imperceptibly before resuming his task. "Yes. I'm sure."

"I mean, it doesn't have to be anything long, just hello."

"To a woman who hasn't seen me in months just to say goodbye again five seconds later? No thank you."

"Xel—"

"My answer is no." He sighed. "Look, Alen, she and I...we were never anything special. We didn't have the time or opportunity to be, and we still don't."

"What, and that's the way you want to keep it?"

Xel nodded as he powered up the repulsorlifts. "For now. Maybe forever. She deserves better."

Alen arched an eyebrow. "So...a smuggler-slash-local crime lord deserves better than a devoted, honorable Mandalorian...remind me again how that calculation works?"

Xel just sighed and throttled up, rocketing them forward and up. A minute or two later, they had left atmo and were headed straight to Raydonia.

...

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"So what did you learn?"

Alen raised both eyebrows. "What?"

"You spent a day with the girl and you expect me to believe you didn't get her whole life story? You're a Jedi, and my gossiping brother."

Alen shrugged. "Well, I talked to her, sure."

"And?"

He scrunched his face up a bit. "She's...twelve standard years old."

Xel nearly had a seizure. "Say _what_?!"

Alen laughed a bit. "It's funny, but it's no joke. Apparently, her race ages a bit faster than most when it comes to reaching maturity, but their adulthood lasts something like a hundred years before they even come near seniorhood."

"That's...different."

"I know. Don't think I've seen or heard of another species anything like that. Apparently all Jeruni, plural of Jerun, are very civic and environmentally-minded. Their coming-of-age ritual is to go out into the greater galaxy and make a change for the better in some community."

"Why haven't we heard of them before?"

"Despite the apparent complexity of their culture, they're somewhat primitive and isolationist. Only developed large-scale space travel after they were discovered during the Clone Wars. Since they're not really a threat to anyone, the Empire pretty much left them alone. Most can still be found on their homeworld, which is somewhere near Kamino, I think."

Xel pulled off his helmet and started fiddling with its internal circuitry. "Interesting. And what about her personally?"

"Well, Iola kinda didn't know what to look for as far as fulfilling her ritual, so she just started traveling across the galaxy, getting a feel for things, helping who she could. Nothing major enough to stand out, though. A bad deal with some shady smugglers landed her on Bogden, and she was stuck there for months trying to eke out enough of a living to leave."

"Bad luck, especially for a twelve-year-old."

"Xel, you rescued her, saw her fight. Does she really seem twelve to you?"

Xel snorted and thumped his chest. "Hey, _I_ was that way two years ago."

"You're also Mandalorian."

"And?"

"And any race-slash-culture that's famed for killing Force-users is kind of the exception to every rule."

"Touché."

They both fell silent as an uneasy feeling filled them.

"Alen?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you...feel that?"

The Jedi closed his eyes for a few moments, frowning deeply and nodding. "Yes. It's...a warning from the Force. It means something's coming, and chances are we're not gonna like it."

"Plenty of situations matching that description have happened in the last six months. None of 'em have felt like this."

"I know." Alen sighed and closed his eyes. "We'll just have to trust in the Force, and in our training."

As much as Xel hated to admit it, he was right. They were going into this blind, and unavoidably so. Whatever happened, or didn't, would be virtually beyond their control. _As long as we_ _get Telia back, anything and everything else can go to _osik_._

"Agreed."

Xel blinked a few times, gently cursing their telepathic bond, not for the first time. "Anyway, we should get some rest. Dunno about you, but I've been running on five hours since before Bogden."

Alen's eyebrows shot up. "And you were flying?" He pointed toward the crew quarters. "Get over there and sleep your ass off, right now. I'll let you know when we're close."

Xel nodded with a sigh as he stood and walked to his room, the door hissing closed behind him. Since their hunt had begun, Xel had taken over his father's old room. It was unfamiliar but comforting, knowing Xander had felt it secure enough to lay his head for years before Xel had even been born. Of course, after a bit of personalization and mounting his Boma tusk, among other trophies, it felt a bit more "his." The moment his dark-haired head hit the pillow, Caden fell into something of a trance, not quite asleep, not quite waking. A soft, familiar voice tickled the edge of his consciousness.

_"I'm simply to convince them then? I see. That shouldn't be too difficult. I am their mother, after all, and mother knows best. Of course, sir, I understand."_

His dark blue eyes opened as a confused expression dominated his features. That...was Telia, he was sure of it. Though he couldn't see her, her voice was unmistakable. Whether the one-sided conversation was real or just a figment of his exhausted mind, though—not so unmistakable. Groaning, he closed himself off from the Force Bonds and anything else Force-related that could interfere with his rest before head-butting the pillow again, passing out from exhaustion a moment later.

...

The Kandosii'tal, orbit over Raydonia

Xel stared through his visor and the ship's viewport at a temperate, forested world.

Alen flicked a switch to cut the engines and let them drift. "Welcome to Raydonia in the Outer Rim. Population of several thousand human colonists, Imperial presence next to nil, no major commercial centers." He looked over at Xel's faceplate. "Perfect place to stash a rogue Jedi."

Caden nodded slowly, thumbing a zoom to pinpoint the exact location specified in the Corellian's manifest. "These coordinates point to an isthmus in the northern hemisphere. Pretty heavy fog there, and according to planetary records, there's a massive electrical storm in that area every other week."

"Good defense mechanism against any prying eyes, and it'll damage any ships that try to land there."

Xel nodded. "Thankfully, we're here on an off week, so it shouldn't give us too much trouble. Still have to worry about the fog though."

Alen snorted. "You're worried about fog damaging our ship?"

"No, I'm worried about something being implanted in the fog. Weapons, sensor jammers, troops, droids, you name it. Fog is a dangerous thing when you're not the one living in it."

"Riiiight. So, any more words of encouragement?"

Xel rolled his eyes. "Just keep an eye open."

"Two, long as I have a choice."

Xel activated the engines again, shooting them toward the planet's atmosphere and entering a few minutes later. "Tell me something, is it your job to gripe about good advice?"

"Is it your job to make sure morale is shot to hell before a mission even starts?"

"I'm just being realistic about our chances. After all, it _is_ Mom's life at stake here."

"Yeah, well, try being _optimistic_ instead. We didn't scour the galaxy for her for six months to bitch out now."

Xel raised an eyebrow. "I've been a bad influence on you, haven't I?"

Alen smirked. "Maybe a little. But that influence has kept me alive more than once, so I'd say it's worth it."

The Mando made another adjustment to their descent vector as they dropped through the clouds. "She might disagree when we get her back."

His brother's smile went wider. "See? _When_. Optimism. Doesn't that make you feel a little better about our chances?"

Xel scoffed. "I _always_ assume our chances are good. Mainly because they are."

Alen gave him a strange look.

"What? You're a Jedi, I'm Mandalorian. That alone tips most scales in our favor, especially since most stormies haven't faced Jedi in years. Add to that the fact that we both have lightsabers and are strong in the Force, and it's pretty much over for the enemy before it even starts."

The Jedi just smiled and shook his head. "And there goes the fabled Caden modesty. According to Mom, Dad had the same thing."

Xel sighed and nearly clapped Alen in the back of the head. "Underestimating one's own abilities does as much a disservice as overestimating them. Excessive humility is something I'll never understand."

"Well, when you're trying to avoid people discovering the fact that you're a Jedi, you learn to downplay things pretty well."

"Hm. Fair enough." Xel raked his scanners over the target area one more time, but when he stretched out with the Force, everything became obvious. "Well well well, what have we here? Looks to me like a concealed Imperial outpost, complete with a small garrison of stormtroopers and thirty-foot walls on every side."

"Too bad for them we have no intention of walking through the front door."

Behind his faceplate, Xel gave his brother a feral grin. "Our first point of business is to take out their communications network. The last thing we want is them calling for help, and trust me, the moment we pull our lightsabers, they will." His finger tabbed over the scanners, throwing a wave of infrared pulses outward, mapping the base through the fog. He pointed to a large dish some distance away. "There. That dish looks like it's connected to their long-range holocomms." He smiled as the _Kandosii's_ weapons powered up. "One proton torpedo oughta do it."

"Proton torpedoes? You _do_ know those are illegal, right?"

"You _do _know _we're_ illegal, right?"

Alen shrugged. "Point. Let 'er rip."

Xel's thumb depressed the firing button of his torpedo system, sending a single glowing rocket toward the communications tower. The resulting explosion was brilliant, several dozen tons of duracrete and expensive circuitry falling to the ground, useless.

"Problem solved. Ready to lay down some hate?"

Alen smirked wryly. "A Jedi does not know hatred...but yeah."

Just then, a repeating alarm blared in their ears and faces, sending a string of curses from Xel's mouth.

"_Osik'la shabuire_!"

"What does that mean?"

"It means this outpost just called in TIEs for backup."

"Oh no."

"So we now have two options. We stash the ship somewhere, hoping they don't find it, and risk being bombarded into molten slag on the way to the outpost, or we stay in the air and engage the TIEs."

"If we bother to stay airborne, though, they're bound to figure out we're after Telia. We'll lose our window of opportunity."

Xel's teeth gritted hard. There was no way he would let this slide, not after six months of searching. "Then that settles it. We land and get in there. What's a little bombardment between us?"

"_Or_ we can split up. One of us goes on the ground and gets inside while the other gives those TIEs hell."

"Alen, infiltrating that compound would be difficult enough with two of us, but one—"

He laid a hand on the Mando's shoulder. "I trust you to get the job done."

Xel did a double-take. "Wait...what?"

"I'm volunteering you for the ground op."

"But Alen, she's your—"

"She's _our_ mother," he corrected, tightening his hold on Xel's shoulder. "I know how much you regret not being able to save her on Obroa-skai, so...think of this as a second chance."

"Alen," he kept protesting.

"Look, it's not a sentimental decision. I can take those TIEs just as easily as you, and although I am a better Jedi than you, you're a better operative, and right now, Mom needs an operative. It's logical. It's tactical."

Xel thought it over a moment, coming to the same conclusion seconds later and nodding. "Keep those bucketheads busy in the air, and make sure the base doesn't launch anything. The last we need is for me to get inside and them to spirit Mom away anyway because they had a shuttle on standby."

Alen nodded as he stood and switched places with Xel, the TIEs getting closer on the _Kandosii'tal's_ scanners. "You better get moving. I'll fly to a hover just beyond that wall. Look for her in the central building. Most Imperial outposts have some sort of brig, and it's most often placed in the hub."

Xel nodded as he double-checked his pistols. "Got it." Looking to the side, he spotted something he'd never even considered using, but as he cocked his head and thought about it, figured the extra firepower would be useful. His father's T-27A2 Blackjack found its way onto the magnetic grip of his jetpack as he strode over to the lowered landing ramp, air above and below disturbed with the force of the ship's repulsorlifts. He could already see several TIEs approaching on the cloudy horizon, not to mention about a dozen stormtroopers flooding the courtyard below.

A malevolent grin settled onto his features. _Never know what hit 'em._ Xel took a flying leap off the ramp, falling with a smooth triple-flip and landing feet-first in a kneeling position, the stomping steps of his approaching enemies filling his ears as he stretched out to the Force. The clicking of a dozen weapons readying and aiming in his direction got Xel's attention, but little more than the word shouted at him a second later.

"Freeze!"

Xel stood slowly, hands up as he surveyed his opponents. _Two flanking, eight at my front, two staying at a distance to take potshots. _A smile settled on his features. _This is going to be fun._

"Drop your weapons and surrender, Mando."

"I'm afraid," he started quietly, anger rising within him, "that's just not going to happen. See, you Imp fools took something of mine. I'd like it back."

"You're the fool. You think you can defy the Empire and get away with it?"

Xel cocked his head. "Well...yeah. Wanna try and prove me wrong?"

The lead trooper gave his comrades a sideways look before approaching Xel with binders.

_Oh, so unwise._ The moment he was within grabbing distance, the stormtrooper was thrown ten feet into one of the men behind him. The rest of his squad opened fire on empty air, since Xel had shot into the sky with his jetpack, two wrist rockets silencing half of them a moment later before he descended, plugging another with his pistols and rolling on impact. The remaining five troopers kept up a pattern of interlocking fire, moving from cover to cover in order to suppress him. Xel just dodged their shots with ease, the Force lending speed and foreknowledge to his movements as he picked them off one by one. More stormies flooded out of the central hub once he finished, and the Blackjack left his back a second later.

A microgrenade flew toward the approaching crowd, sending clouds of dirt and white plastoid shrapnel in all directions as crippling layers of crimson plasma fire were laid down in their direction. Xel was having far too much fun with this, a dark, perverse kind of fun that came from months of restrained anger finally being released. They were fish in a barrel. Nerfs to the slaughter. They were the prey, and he was finally back to being the hunter. One or two managed to escape the slaughter and flank him using supply buildings for cover. One of them was fried by plasma fire the moment he stuck his head out, but the other managed to close the distance and plug Xel a few times, the blows barely felt through his _beskar_.

Deciding this one had enough guts for one-on-one, he mounted the rifle on his pack and unsheathed his knife. The stormtrooper also had a blade, standard vibrating durasteel, nothing special. They traded a few empty swings before settling into a deadly rhythm that the buckethead simply had no chance of winning. It wasn't that he was slow. In a normal fight, without the Force, Xel would be enjoying the challenge of keeping up. It was that the boy was just so kriffing fast. Twenty seconds in, and a thrust was parried by the knife in Xel's left hand, his fingers releasing the blade as they wrapped around his opponent's armed wrist.

The _beskar_ knife fell just under a foot—into Xel's waiting right hand. The blade punched through a gap in his opponent's armor, shooting straight into his gut and causing an unhealthy amount of blood to flow.

"You fought well, _auretii_."

The blade was withdrawn and its former target slumped to the ground in the middle of bleeding out as Xel strode calmly toward the hub, knife returning to its sheath in favor of his pistols. He sprinted through the front doors, catching a glimpse of green and red laser fire through the clouds above. A laugh over his comlink signaled the end of another TIE pilot, as did Alen's comment.

"Too easy."

"Don't get cocky, _vod_. Those TIE pilots are a tricky bunch."

"I know my limits, Xel. And this ship's. You just focus on your mission."

Xel sighed and nodded, pressing further into the building where his mother awaited.

...

5 minutes later

Imperial outpost, Raydonia

Five minutes, twenty more guards, and a half dozen expended power packs later, and Xel could finally feel himself getting close. A nudge from the Force here, a pull there, and he could feel his mother's presence just ahead. The only problem? A small army of twenty-plus stormtroopers in his way. Ordinarily, he would just collapse the ceiling on their heads, but seeing as how they were standing in the one way to get to Telia, he needed a different solution. The direct method had worked well thus far, but he could feel the cold calculation and intelligence in the commander of the garrison, who was waiting for him to come through with a strategy in mind.

Much as he tried, he couldn't get an inkling of what this man had planned, and it scared him a little. Just a little. So he decided to try something a little different.

"Commander!" he shouted across the atrium. "You've seen what's happened to your men at my hands! Do you really want to end up that way?"

No response came except a half-dozen shots that landed far too close for comfort.

"I'll take that as a yes," Xel hissed through clenched teeth. _This _shabuir _doesn't know what he's just unleashed._ Slowly, he stood and moved out of cover, right pistol finding its holster as his now-empty hand went to the hardcase at his belt. He strode toward the center of the atrium calmly, left hand still grasping his other pistol, the barrel pointed at the ground yet still seeming threatening to the stormtroopers eyeing him. A metal cylinder dropped into his hand as he stopped, stance widening, his t-visor glaring straight at the tan-pauldroned commander.

"Last chance," Xel almost whispered.

When they all raised their weapons in his direction, all bets were off. The ringing _snap-hiss_ was enough to jolt his opponents, but the blazing azure shaft coming from his right hand seemed to take the cake. They all opened fire at once, not panicking but fairly close to it. Their shots and stances were still professional, but there was no mistaking the fear radiating off them in waves as he batted one bolt out of the air after the next. With one hand he put a Force-powered wall of light between them, and with the other returned fire, tagging two of them with his pistol before they caught onto the fact that he was coordinated enough to do both and scrambled for cover.

A well-executed Barrier of Blades sent blaster bolts from multiple opponents scattering, some of them returning to their sources and sending white-clad soldiers to their deaths. Xel's Shien form had only improved with time, and the style definitely seemed to suit him as he advanced constantly, confidently, one soldier falling after the next to his relentless pattern of fire and defense. Before anyone knew it, only five were left standing, including the commander. Xel roared as he leapt through the air, deflecting a bolt coming at his right and falling with a vertical cut that severed his target's left arm. A pivot and strike severed his head.

Anger drove his every move, Xel taking the emotion and swinging it as he did his lightsaber, cutting them down one by one until the commander brandished a long electrosword off his back and swung it at him. The Mando deflected the strike with ease, countering with two horizontal cuts that came from opposite directions. The commander kept his defenses up with some difficulty, the metal of his weapon starting to char but the electric field holding back the lightsaber enough to keep it from cutting through. Xel was relentless, leveling strike after vertical strike and battering his defenses away until he could tell the Imperial was getting tired, then slashed diagonally upward, the sword flying out of his hand and into Xel's as the boy kicked him to his knees.

Caden held both blades in an "x" on either side of his neck. "Where is she?" he hissed.

"W-What?"

"The woman who was sent here! The Jedi! Where is she?!"

"T-There is no Jedi here."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not! Lord Vader sent an agent to oversee our progress here on Raydonia..."

Xel blinked rapidly, scanning the man for any signs of deception. Much to his shock, there weren't any. So either he was extremely good at lying, or this agent could mimic his mother's signature in the Force, or... He shook his head hard. The last possibility wasn't even a possibility.

"Where is this 'agent' then?"

"S-She went to the landing platform behind me to wait. Never said for what."

_She?_ No, he refused to even consider it. If she was an "agent" of Vader, it was a ruse. It had to be. Right?

He turned his attention back to the man at his mercy. "Thank you for your cooperation." Briefly considering executing him, Xel dropped the electrosword and deactivated his saber, opting instead to use Force Constrict on him. The commander was sleeping soundly by the time he sprinted toward the landing pad's primary lift. On the way up, he tried in vain to steady his racing heart. One way or another, he would know the truth in a few moments...and either way he would have his mother back. A large smile came to his face a moment before the lift doors opened.

Drawing a pistol just in case, he cleared the cluttered pad, observing the various crates scattered about, as well as the _Lambda_-class shuttle parked on the far side. His blue eyes went wide.

And found the dirty blonde woman facing away from him.

His blaster quickly met its holster. His feet moved of their own accord. His heart was racing a mile a minute. Before he knew it, Xel was standing just five feet away from her.

"M-Mom?"

For one long, awful moment, he thought he'd made a mistake, that this woman was just another Imperial trick meant to screw with his head. _Shab_ knew he'd endured plenty of those these last few months. When she turned to face him with a brilliant smile, he knew he was wrong.

"Xel," she said warmly, outstretching her arms invitingly.

Relief coursed through him like nothing else, overpowering all his senses and the long-ingrained instincts that were blaring alarms and raising massive red flags as he rushed forward and embraced the woman, holding her tightly and not letting go for a full ten seconds.

She laughed the same way she always did. "Easy there, kiddo." Telia held him at arm's length and looked into his eyes, amused concern in hers. "I'm right here."

"It," he choked, "it's been so long."

She smiled wider, the skin around her eyes wrinkling. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. But it's all right now." Telia held him close again, one hand stroking his hair, his helmet lying discarded a few feet away. "It's okay."

Slowly but surely, he pulled away from her and locked gazes, the small and annoying part of his hunter's instincts compelling his next words. "How did you get away?" He regretted asking as soon as the words left his lips.

Her eyes darkened and jaw tightened just a little, the smile on her face seeming more than a little forced all of a sudden. "Xel, dear, isn't it enough I'm back safe and sound?"

Caden's relief-driven haze cleared almost immediately, instincts blaring alarms full-volume as his expression hardened. "How did you get away?" he repeated, Force Sense hammering into her ironclad mental walls.

She sighed and closed her eyes, as if scolding an obstinate child. "I didn't."

Xel just stood there, jaw hanging open. "Mom, you…you've kinda gotta explain that a bit."

"No I don't."

"Telia, you were captured by _Darth_ _Vader_ and you expect me to just relax when you tell me there was no escape involved?"

"I expect you," she scolded, jabbing a finger in his face, "to trust me." Seeing he wouldn't relent, she sighed in resignation. "Fine. I'll explain. First off, you can relax, because no one will be hunting you or your brother anymore."

Xel snorted and crossed his arms. "I'll believe _that_ when I see it."

"The reason is because Vader no longer needs to chase you down."

Xel was completely unnerved. She smiled, actually _smiled_ after saying his name.

Telia put her hands on her son's shoulders and looked at him earnestly. "You see, we don't have to run anymore. He showed me what he truly wanted from us, and let me tell you, it's nothing like I expected."

Cold shivers ran down his spine.

"Xel, if we go with him, if we play along, we'll finally be free from the fear of pursuit or discovery. We'll be free to just be us. To be period, no longer hunted like animals. We'll be safe, finally." Telia was genuinely beaming.

"I don't…" Xel gulped, looking away. "I don't actually believe this."

"Neither did I at first. I let my hatred get in the way, but after a few months of reasoning, I finally saw the truth."

_Reasoning._ Xel didn't want to imagine the kind of "reasoning" Darth Vader was capable of. "Mom…this is wrong. This isn't you."

The woman snorted, hands on her hips. "Of course this is me. When have you ever known me to put my own needs ahead of yours? Ahead of anyone else's? I'm willing to put aside my differences with them, for your sakes."

Caden stared at her incredulously. "Differences," he almost whispered, anger rising unbidden. "_Differences_? Vader killed Father. He murdered him, with his own two hands!" He motioned with his own for emphasis. "Did you somehow _forget_ that?!"

She seemed to falter, the darkness clearing for a moment as something akin to pain showed in her eyes. But then the cloud fell again, and her expression turned stern. "Xel, I am doing what's best for you. I would've thought you'd be mature enough to understand that…but maybe I was wrong." It was like Telia didn't notice the distance growing between them. "Maybe you're still a child in need of proper discipline."

"_Buir_, don't do this." He could feel the darkness rolling off her in waves, clouding her mind and judgement, but his mind barely registered it. All that was present was the panic settling into his bones, and the pain at slowly but surely losing his mother once again.

"You leave me no choice," she accused icily, eyes fiery and wild. "Xel Caden, you need to be put in your place."

_Snap-hiss._

Xel's eyes went wide in shock as they perused the newly ignited green shaft in front of him. _No…no-no-no this is not happening. It can't be happening._ He willed it not to be, concentrated with all his might on making this a practical joke, or a really bad dream. Focused on anything and everything to avoid the cold, hard, agonizingly painful truth. _She's been turned._ The split-second after that realization was barely enough for him to register a sudden tension in her stance, the kind that preceded a blurred saber charge.

…

_He would dare to reject my offer…after everything I've sacrificed for him!_ Telia's teeth slammed together as her expression matched her steadily building rage. _How _dare_ he reject me like this!_ Her lightsaber was a green blur, anger and frustration driving her strikes as she put the boy on the defensive, realizing distantly that the weapon in his hand was new. A small flicker of pride ran through her at the sight, and she smirked a little. _At least he hasn't been completely useless these past months._ Xel was looking for an opening, as was expected for a Shien practitioner. She knew he wouldn't find one.

…

All the feelings of anger, self-loathing, betrayal, and hurt warring within Xel gave way to impenetrable fear as he felt his circle of defense slowly but surely closing in on him. He redirected a strike aimed at his thigh upward and countered with a weak thrust at her left arm. She parried the blow easily and strode toward him, a spinning combo adding power to a vertical strike that left his chest exposed to a follow-up thrust. He withdrew as rapidly as possible, still wincing as his chestplate picked up another black mark and throwing a series of slashes Telia's way. Strikes at her shoulder and hip were blocked, and another aimed at disarming her was dodged with more ease than pushing over a child.

It made him angry. A guttural yell came from the boy's throat as he lunged toward her, their blades catching together as he used his superior weight and size to shove her back. Telia was smirking the whole time, seemingly on the verge of laughing at his pitiful attempts. Really, he wasn't leveling everything he had, but that was the point. Dark Side or no, she was still his mother…and there was no way he was going to lose another parent to Vader's trickery.

He struck at her left thigh, following with a quick cut toward her rib cage and a vertical strike at her head. All three were blocked, and she easily sidestepped the lunge that followed, planting a firm kick on his _shebs_ as he rushed past. Red flooded his face as he set his stance again, facing her in an even more defensive posture.

…

Telia laughed out loud at this point. "Boy, have you learned _nothing_? Have you just been twittling your thumbs these past six months? Certainly seems so, since your skills haven't improved a bit." A series of stabs at various locations on his body were blocked with some difficulty, and he responded in kind, seeming to just want to keep her at bay. "Though I'm not exactly surprised, since you found a way to distract yourself from my absence that long."

An expression of true horror crossed his face at her implication.

"Honestly, I don't blame you for staying away."

It was a lie. Telia couldn't have felt more betrayed. Of course, when she had pushed both her sons out of harm's way in that building, it was with the full intention that they would vanish into the shadows and never reappear, but the more she thought about it and the more pain she had to endure, the more she realized that her sons were perfectly capable young men. They could have found and retrieved her any time they'd liked. _They simply chose not to._ Her grip tightened around her lightsaber. _Well, Telia Li-am does not appreciate being abandoned._

She lunged forward, yelling in anger and driving her blade downward. Xel caught it easily, saber swinging downward to meet hers as she cut at both his legs in quick succession, the two glowing shafts meeting a moment later in a saber lock at their midsections.

"_Buir_," he was saying, "how could you ever think we'd abandon you?"

She snarled at him and shoved him back, several strikes thrown and blocked as she drove him closer to the edge of the platform. He barely managed to twist away from a lunge that would have slipped between the plates and skewered his shoulder, leaping over a crate to put some distance between them. She simply motioned and sent the box flying off into the distance.

"We _looked_," he was pleading, saber held aloft defensively as she kept coming. "We scoured the galaxy trying to find you. We never forgot."

Telia almost froze at the pain in his voice, refusing to accept the sincerity in his words and instead seeing weakness. _He can't beat me, so he thinks by making a show of crying he can stay my hand?_ She gave him a nasty grin. _I don't think so._ Her lightsaber slammed against his hard, the jolt running up his arms and actually driving him back a step. A crate vibrated at her right before flying into him, knocking him another couple of feet. A pipe tore itself loose and rocketed at his back, but he turned and rolled out of the way, a quick rising cut bisecting the object as he regained his footing.

The fallen Jedi just kept advancing.

…

_I can't win this._ The realization dawned on him the moment random _osik_ started flying. He couldn't beat her in his wildest dreams before, neither in single combat or with remotes present. This situation, from his point of view, was no different. _Except this time the sabers aren't in training mode._ Fear ran his blood cold. He was going to die…by his mother's hand. The cruel irony of it tightened a vise around his heart, and he knew when Vader heard the news, he'd laugh his black head off. _No…no!_ As Telia rushed forward again, he rushed back to meet her, the added force actually jolting her for a moment.

_I refuse to give him the satisfaction!_

Xel no longer took the defensive. The moment their lock broke, he was swinging—hard. Telia actually had to duck out of the way of several strikes as he laid every pound of his weight behind them. Green clashed against blue in a storm of golden sparks, the boy spinning counterclockwise and slamming his blade against Telia's, knocking hers a good distance away from her center. Taking the opening, he tried to drive his lightsaber into her lower midsection, away from any vital organs, but she was ready for him.

Pivoting out of the way, the fallen Jedi swept her arm around his armed hand, twisting the appendage until he released the _beskar_ cylinder. The blade fell and died with a hiss before she dragged her blade across his chestplate, following with a powerful Force Push that flattened him against a nearby wall on the pad. When he tried to move, he found all his limbs stuck in place, plastered against the cold durasteel at his back. Her steadily advancing body filled his vision, the green sword in her right hand glowing threateningly as her empty left held him in place.

"You know…you have no idea…the hell I've been through lately." She turned away, hand still up and pinning him still. "I've sacrificed so much for you…yet you still don't appreciate it."

"Telia…Mom—" he said desperately.

"Maybe Vader was right. Maybe you_ are_ too weak to be worth that kind of devotion."

_No,_ he thought desperately. _Vader is never right about _anything_!_

Her eyes flashed at him fiercely. "But you're my son, and no son of mine will ever stay that weak. Your father didn't raise a priss, and I'm sure as hell not gonna let you soil his memory!" Her saber raised in a stabbing position, angling toward his left shoulder. "I need to toughen you up. Teach you how to be a man."

Xel's heart lurched in his chest. "_Buir…_please!"

"And the first lesson begins…with pain."

"Don't!"

Fear. Terror like nothing else. The merciless cramming of fight-or-flight chemicals into the bloodstream. The wide-eyed, nerf-in-the-headlights expression as one prepares for unimaginable pain. In every animal and sentient who experiences this predicament, there is always one more factor that's ignored in the rush of actions and feelings. Anger. Frustration at failing to protect oneself. If the cause of the situation is someone they know and trust, the sentient often feels betrayed and angry at him or herself for failing to see it coming. Sometimes there are pent-up emotions surrounding this person, feelings kept at bay because they are seen as counterproductive and doing more harm than good.

Feelings like Xel's rage. Like his disappointment, his self-loathing. Like the insidious voice in his head from even before his mother's capture telling him he would never be good enough, that he would always bring misery to those who loved him. Like the outright hatred he felt for the Sith and Darth Vader in particular. These feelings he held at bay for months because he didn't want to disappoint his Jedi mother or brother. At this particular moment, he realized he'd already done both.

So he just said, "Screw it."

An animalistic roar left Xel's body—along with a powerful wave of Force power that slammed into Telia and sent her shooting across the landing pad. Her lightsaber deactivated as she slammed into a stack of crates hard, rolling to a stop a moment later, more than a few bruises now where there had been none. A pair of boots hit the deck, moving with sedated speed toward the prone former Jedi. Xel's lightsaber flew to his hand and ignited as he reached the halfway point, the blade held offensively when he finally closed the distance, its tip hovering just inches from her throat as she tried to regain her footing.

Surprisingly, she wasn't looking at him, and her saber lay forgotten at her side. Telia was on hands and knees, seemingly just staring at the ground as she breathed heavily. Xel reached out to her Bond with the Force and found confusion, fear, and most powerfully, shame. The combination confused him. After all, she'd just been trying to torture, if not kill him a few moments earlier. The position was held for nearly a half minute, Xel's saber poised, the woman before him barely moving. A quiet voice reached his ears through a sudden wind.

"Xel?"

The voice was tenuous, fragile even. The tone was not as strong or confident, nor as clear as before. The name was spoken as a question, not a statement. And as Xel looked past the glow of his own blade to see it reflected in her dark brown eyes, he could see the tortured soul behind them. His eyes widened and brows raised in realization, his weapon going inactive an instant later as he kneeled at her level, gaze never leaving hers.

"My son…" Her lower lip trembled significantly, along with the rest of her body. "W-What have I done?"

It was the whisper-quiet volume and agonized tone that broke down the rest of his defenses as he threw his arms around her, the woman returning the embrace with an even tighter grip.

"What have I done?" she repeated quietly.

"Nothing…" he pulled away and made eye contact, "that can't be fixed over a mug of caf."

She laughed weakly as he shot her a comforting smile, tears filling her eyes and spilling over. She kept laughing somewhat hysterically as her eyes trailed over his figure, over the char-marks on his armor, and settled on the device in his right hand. Her left rose to meet it. "So you…you built your own."

He smiled. "I did. Wanted to make you proud." _And screw Vader over._

Telia laid a hand on his cheek and gave him an expression that was halfway between smiling and sobbing. "For…whatever it's worth…I am."

"How touching."

Two heads snapped in the direction of the voice, but their eyes registered the danger a moment too late as he stretched out his hands. Two ear-piercing screams split the silence as mother and son writhed in agony, Xel's eyes opening briefly to catch a glimpse of blazing blue and white tendrils streaming toward them both from a tall, black-hooded figure. Vaguely, in a distant corner of his mind, Xel understood that this is what Force Lightning feels like...and he instantly never wanted to feel it again. Ten seconds later, the agony stopped, leaving them both curling and prone.

"L-Leave him...alone," Telia choked out.

"I intend to," the figure responded as he drew closer, face shadowed and hidden under his hood but silver eyes glinting in the fading sunlight. His left hand raised a little before another stream of Lightning engulfed her body, the woman shrieking incoherently for another five seconds before passing out. He reached down and grabbed her arm with his left hand, slinging her over his shoulder and turning back toward the _Lambda_-class shuttle as her lightsaber floated up and clipped to his belt. He stopped when a surprisingly strong grip fell on his ankle and turned toward its source, kicking Xel in the face and crouching, free hand wrapping around the Mando's throat.

"I could snap your neck with but a thought, boy." His grip squeezed a little tighter, prompting a snarl from the prone Mando. "But my master has other plans, so I have no choice but to obey him...for now." The man released him, straightening and striding toward the shuttle with slow, confident steps.

Xel painfully rolled onto his side, eyes flickering away from the retreating figure to spot his own lightsaber lying just a foot away. His studies with the holocron returned full-force. _Force Lightning..._ Dark blue eyes widened, then narrowed as a scowl adorned his features, his hand reaching out and body scrambling upright.

Rapid steps were the man's only warning, and he turned with a snarl, right hand raised, as Xel closed the distance. Caden's lightsaber flashed to life as a half-dozen tendrils of deadly Lightning streamed from his hand, slamming into the sapphire shaft and stopping him short with the sheer force that carried through the blade into the boy's hands. Gritting his teeth, Xel pushed back, one foot going after the next as he fought against the tempest driving him away from his mother. The man's anger rose as Xel failed to fall, the Lightning slowing him down but not stopping him. A moment later, he'd had enough.

With an enraged yell, the silver-eyed man snapped his entire body toward Xel, adding a Force Push to his assault that sent him flying through the air. His saber went inactive as it twirled out of his grasp, his body hitting and sliding across the deck, toward the edge and a hundred-foot drop. Desperately driving his hands against the floor in an attempt at getting some friction, he pulled his _beskar_ knife and drove it into the metal hard, yelling in effort as he rapidly approached the edge and groaning as his one arm supported his weight, the blade finally catching on something and keeping him hanging precariously over the edge.

Xel pulled himself up and laid his other arm on the pad, hand gripping a protruding pipe as he watched the figure board the shuttle, Telia slung over his shoulder. With another angry yell, he pulled harder, scrambling onto solid ground with some effort and sheathing his knife, his lightsaber returning to his hand as he charged. The shuttle rose from the ground and seemed to hover in place for a few moments, mocking him until it took off in earnest, rocketing into space and carrying his _buir_ far, far away.

Both fists clenched as his lightsaber deactivated, teeth gritting together as rage swept through his body. He poured out his frustration into the falling night, roaring at the interloper, at the forest, at everything around him, the force of it all sending everything within a four-foot radius flying away. His empty hand flew to the side, recalling his helmet a second before he pulled it back on and activated comms.

"Alen, lock onto my coordinates _now_. We're done here."

"Roger that," his brother grunted, clearly still in a dogfight some distance away. "What happened?"

Xel hissed his answer through clenched teeth. "She's gone...and there was nothing I could do about it."

* * *

AN: The next chapter is going to be posted on Sunday. I'll explain why in an author's note at the end of that one.

Until next time, _oya ner vode_.

\- CDrake

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - Yoda Strikes Back: Lightning strike, incapacitation, Xel's charge, shuttle escape


	19. Visions of Darkness, Part I

"Alen, lock onto my coordinates _now_. We're done here."

"Roger that," his brother grunted, clearly still in a dogfight some distance away. "What happened?"

Xel hissed his answer through clenched teeth. "She's gone...and there was nothing I could do about it."

...

5 minutes later

Imperial outpost, Raydonia

8 months BBY

The whine of TIE engines echoed through the cloudy skies as the _Kandosii'tal _hovered just within reach of Xel's jetpack, the entrance ramp lowering to receive him. His heavy booted steps echoed through the ship's corridors as Alen took off, heading for space and increasing the distance between them and their pursuers. As Xel's legs took him straight into the cockpit, Alen barely glanced back, keying the nav computer before speaking.

"Good news, Xel. I managed to track that shuttle's last hyperspace trajectory. We can follow him."

He sounded so happy, Xel almost hesitated in shattering his hopes. Almost. "No, we can't."

Alen frowned at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Xel sighed as he pulled his helmet off, laying it on the dashboard as he slumped into the copilot's seat. "The man who confronted me was an Imperial agent, probably reports directly to Vader. As such, he's not gonna be stupid enough to go straight to his final destination, which means the coordinates you have are either a decoy location he'll go before jumping again or an ambush."

"So we're just gonna give up? If there's a chance we can get to Mom—"

"There isn't." Xel's voice was far harsher and angrier than his brother had heard in a long, long time. "Just get us out of here."

Alen scowled at the nav computer. "And go where?" he asked in a near-whisper.

"Anywhere but here."

The Jedi rapidly programmed a course to Nar Shaddaa and punched the hyperdrive just as the pursuing TIEs closed to roughly a kilometer.

...

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

When Xel stormed toward the armory, Alen followed, the anger rolling off his brother in waves. He couldn't help but flinch when the younger boy slammed his fists on a durasteel table, eyes widening as he saw the dents left behind. Several more loud bangs came from repeated assaults on the offending countertop before Alen stepped forward.

"Hey-hey-hey! Stop."

Xel was breathing hard, an angry scowl on his face. "I had her." His hands rotated palms-up in a clawing position, as if he were trying to hold onto something invisible. "I had her right there, in my grasp. We had her back." His hands clenched into fists. "And then we didn't."

Alen put a hand on his brother's shoulder, channeling the Force into the touch in an attempt to calm him down. "Just tell me what happened."

Caden breathed a little lighter, though from his own self-control or Alen's manipulations no one could tell. "I found her on that landing pad, right next to the shuttle. Didn't even feel the other presence until it was too late. Either I was too focused on her, or too damn relieved..."

"I wouldn't blame you for either case. It's been six months since we last saw her."

"I blame me for it. Dad warned me against tunnel vision once, and I ignored his advice. And now, our mother is once again far beyond our reach." He looked away, expression falling from anger to melancholy. "Maybe in more ways than one," he added quietly.

Alen's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Dark blue eyes met ice blue. "I mean...somehow...she was turned."

Alen's eyes shot wide open. "What? No, that's...that's impossible."

"I thought that too, until I saw the look in her eyes." He shook his head. "It was like I couldn't even recognize her anymore. The anger, the disappointment. She was so...critical and exacting. So cold. It was like every cause for resentment or anger was multiplied tenfold in her mind, so much that she...she forgot who the real enemy is."

"Stang." Alen slumped into a nearby chair, hand shielding his eyes as he slouched in his seat. "I...I had heard stories of the Dark Side's corrupting power, but for someone like Mom to succumb like that..." He shuddered visibly. "I'm almost glad I wasn't down there with you."

"If you had been, things might have turned out differently." The flash of guilt over their Bond pushed Xel to keep talking. "Don't...don't mistake me saying that for me blaming you. We agreed to split up because we assumed she'd be on our side. We were wrong. No way around that."

The young Jedi sighed heavily. "Right. I guess...I guess we're back to square one...but when we find her next time, we have to consider the possibility she might be even further gone."

Xel's fists tightened. "Much as I hate to admit it, yes." The Mando could feel his already substantial hatred for Darth Vader grow a bit more. Pushing the sudden surge of vengeful thoughts to the back of his mind, Caden turned to his despondent brother. "You should get some rest. I'll make sure we're on target for Nar Shaddaa."

Alen nodded slowly as he rose from the chair and headed for Xel's old room, falling into bed and pulling the covers around him like a protective barrier from all the evils of the galaxy before adding another with the Force. As the door slid closed between them, Xel felt he could relate.

...

30 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

The screams in Xel's mind were enough to jolt him out of the half-unconscious stupor he'd fallen into at the controls, head snapping upright and legs propelling him to his old room. The door slid open at his command, revealing a heavily sweating and somewhat horror-struck Alen sitting on the bed.

"You all right, _vod_? I heard screams."

Alen made eye contact as he nodded slowly with a gulp. "Just...need a second."

Xel pursed his lips tightly. "Nightmares?"

Ice blue eyes narrowed at the floor, the Jedi's lips slightly parted in thought before his head shook. "Not just dreams, Xel." His eyes closed and his body shuddered as if he were recalling them. They snapped open in his brother's direction a moment later. "Visions. Visions from the Force."

Caden's eyebrows skyrocketed as he leaned back against a wall, arms crossed. "Of what?"

"I...I'm not sure, exactly. I saw a world of twisting blues and greens, landmasses surrounded by oceans. I...I saw a city, large and elevated, with multiple levels. It looked deserted."

"That doesn't explain why you were screaming."

Alen shook his head. "The screams you heard were not from me, but from my vision. I must've been subconsciously projecting parts of it over our Bond."

"Well whatever it was, it was scary as _haran_. And if the city was deserted, who was left to scream?"

The other boy sighed and looked down. "It got worse. I couldn't see the people around me, not really. It was like they were just silhouettes, shadows that were emitting black flames, but that wasn't the freakiest part. The worst was the black-cloaked figure in the middle of the city square."

Xel's ears perked up as he straightened. "Black-cloaked? Was he wearing a hood?"

"Yes, and I couldn't make out his features." At Xel's absent expression and hopeful feel in the Force, he wondered out loud, "Why?"

"Might be too vague for a positive ID, but that matches the man who took Mom to a tee."

"You don't think—"

"That's _exactly _what I think. Why else would you have a vision from the Force at a time like this?"

Alen looked unconvinced but hopeful. "I don't know, but whatever the vision meant, we have to find out the truth."

"Would you be able to recognize the planet from a galaxy map?"

Alen leapt from the bed and moved rapidly toward the cockpit. "Got you one better. I know where it is." The Jedi pulled back on the hyperspace lever, leaving them somewhere between Nar Kreeta and Tatooine. Rapidly putting coordinates into the nav computer, Alen waited for the display to glow blue.

Xel furrowed his eyebrows and took a good look at the location, pulling up the galaxy map to compare notes. "Alen, there's...nothing there."

"According to that map, maybe, but I get the feeling that the shadow I felt over the entire planet was more than just the vagueness of a Force vision. I get the feeling the world itself is hidden."

Caden stared at him incredulously. "How is that even possible?"

"Think of the hiding we can do with the Force, to mask our presences from the Empire. Now think of that on a massive scale." At Xel's incredulous look, Alen defended his position. "According to the holocrons, it's possible. Exceedingly difficult, but still possible."

The Mando shook his head. "Still doesn't explain why it's not on any of our maps."

Alen frowned at the empty display. "No, it doesn't, but I guess we'll find out the truth soon enough."

_And hopefully find Mom,_ the Mando added mentally to the end of his sentence.

...

The Kandosii'tal, orbit around unknown world, Allied Tion Sector

"Okay...I stand corrected."

Alen arched an eyebrow at his brother's declaration before smirking widely and returning his eyes to the world in their viewport. Just beyond the window was the same globe with blue and green swirls all across its surface, a slight haze inexplicably obscuring his vision. "Xel, do you...feel that?"

"Yeah," he responded uneasily in a near-growl, drawing a hand over his eyes and clearing the same affliction, "like someone just spiked my _tihaar_. I don't like it."

"Gotta press on though."

He nodded firmly, throttling up and starting reentry. "For Mom. For our _buir_." A few minutes later, they had entered the planet's atmosphere and descended through the first layer of clouds. "You have any more specific coordinates for where we're headed?"

"No, but something tells me we'll know it when we see it."

A series of beeps and a blinking red light on the dashboard alerted them both to an incoming holomessage. Xel thumbed the projector on and perused the humanoid image with widened eyes. Before either could speak, the image did.

"Greetings, offworlders, and welcome to Voss. I am Lorak-Reh, at your service." The man, a bald humanoid with strange markings on his face and compound eyes that seemed to glow, bowed respectfully.

Alen and Xel returned the gesture, the former tilting his entire torso as his brother merely inclined his head.

"Your nav computer should be receiving coordinates to a nearby landing pad in Voss-Ka. Please make your way there at the earliest convenience. The Three wish to speak with you."

The brothers exchanged a confused look before Alen spoke up. "You mean...you're expecting us?"

Lorak-Reh simply pursed his lips and folded his hands over his midsection. "I am not at liberty to say more. An escort will arrive at your ship by the time you land. The Three will explain when you reach the Sanctuary."

"Understood," Alen said uncertainly, the hologram vanishing after Lorak-Reh bowed once more.

The brothers exchanged a long, confused look before speaking in unison. "What the hell?"

...

10 minutes later

Voss-Ka, Voss

The moment the brothers stepped off the landing ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_, Xel in his _beskar'gam_, Alen a full set of dark brown Jedi robes, complete with a cloak and hood, they realized there was something very odd about this planet. Their "welcome wagon" consisted of five armed Voss, all toting blaster rifles with collapsible electrostaves on their backs. Their glowing orange eyes, made startlingly clear by the darkness of night, and multicolored skin fascinated Alen and unnerved Xel a little. He had rarely felt such piercing stares, and only ever from his parents, who were both Force-users. The lead Voss, made apparent by the ornate markings on his face and uniform, stepped forward, his weapon held non-threateningly.

"We are here to take you to the Three, offworlders."

Xel nodded his acknowledgement, his t-visor locking gazes with the captain for a long moment. Somehow the alien was still able to meet his eyes, as if he could see through the faceplate. The Mando instantly decided never to get into a staring contest with one of these things. Sensing that the moment had passed, the captain made an about-face, motioning swiftly to his men, who effectively boxed in the two Force-users and led them down a long series of roads, the captain at the front.

As they traveled, Alen silently admired the architecture of Voss-Ka, with some buildings adopting a circular pattern, others rectangular or triangular, all with intricate relief designs, some even depicting scenes of great battles. These in particular drew Xel's attention. The most impressive of all, however, was in the city square, which was pointed out by Alen, who had seen it once before, though not in all its glory. It depicted a hooded figure in armored robes—wielding a lightsaber. The brothers exchanged a look before Alen spoke up.

"Excuse me, captain." The group came to a stop and the man in question turned to face the Jedi as he pointed toward the sculpture. "What is that?"

The captain followed his line of sight and exhaled audibly as a slight upward tilt tugged at his lips. "That is a memory from a bygone age. Once, over 3000 years ago, a Jedi came to our world in a time of great turmoil. He taught us to trust offworlders, and the Jedi Order in particular. Although we never took a side in their war, we maintained a healthy rapport with the Jedi for many years hence." His expression darkened. "Sadly, however, the years eventually began to sour, and our contact with the Republic and their Knights waned. We eventually faded from their memory into the fabric of myth and legend."

"A shame," Alen said genuinely. "From your architecture alone, I can tell you have much to offer."

The captain seemed taken off-guard by the unexpected display of respect and inclined his head respectfully as a result. "We should move on. The Three are not to be kept waiting."

Alen nodded as they continued the march, approaching a massive rectangular building with two pyramidal obelisks flanking a proportionally massive door. The obelisks, like much of the additions to buildings in the city, were made of a black and gold material, the two colors creating intricate designs and shapes, some simply ornamental embellishments, others in a language neither brother could understand. The building itself was, like most in Voss-Ka, made of a dark tan stone, almost like duracrete but harder and smoother. It too was covered in fascinating reliefs and other such art, most of it focused on the history of the Voss, if Alen was interpreting correctly.

The doors were made of the same material as the obelisk, and consisted of three panels, two in rotated L-shapes on either side, the third a rectangular one that retracted into the floor on the bottom. That seemed to be the primary locking mechanism, and it disengaged once the group was within fifteen feet. The side panels swung outward noiselessly, the only sound the rush of displaced air as the twenty-foot-tall portal opened. Both Alen and Xel seemed dumbstruck by the display before the captain cleared his throat discreetly and ushered them forward. The relatively dim lighting inside made the brothers squint for a few seconds as their eyes adjusted to reveal a long, wide hallway with torches lining the glyph-covered walls.

...

Despite the knowledge that they were in no imminent danger, Xel couldn't help but feel like he was walking into a tomb. A familiar figure strode toward them from inside the building, the captain coming to a halt and saluting him briefly as he bowed in response.

"Captain Jor-Le," Lorak-Reh said respectfully, "thank you for bringing them with such speed. I will take it from here."

Jor-Le nodded stiffly before turning to the offworlders and giving them each a hard stare, his gaze lingering on Xel a moment longer than necessary before he nodded to his men and wordlessly left them alone with Lorak. The Voss in question spoke up as his team left the building.

"It is a pleasure to meet you two in person, and I'm sure the Three will agree once you are face to face."

The brothers exchanged another look of confusion as they followed Lorak-Reh. What was with these people and their cryptic speech? He led them through the long hallway, through a maze of hallways and staircases to a set of double-doors, the same black-and-gold material comprising them, images of three hooded Voss embossed on the surface.

"The Three await inside," Lorak said, as if it weren't already apparent. "Please have as much patience as possible." He looked a little longer at Xel when saying this. "The Three have not met in person with offworlders for a long time, since before your Clone Wars. Their speech may...confuse you at first."

_As if we're not already?_ Xel thought. When Lorak-Reh gave him a pointed stare, he slammed the door in his mind and triple-bolted it shut before sharing a look with Alen.

_"Definitely Force-users," _his brother sent over their Bond.

Xel's nod was near-imperceptible. He turned back to the doors as Lorak stepped aside, each of the pair pushing one and striding through as one unit. They had learned to do that a lot over the last six months. When one is hunting something the Empire wants to keep hidden, one learns that working in poor concert is the fastest way to get caught or killed. The pair walked forward along an ornate stone path into a circular room, a curved, semicircular platform on the far side of the room holding three finely dressed Voss, all in hoods, their eyes glowing in the pleasantly dim lighting.

While Alen focused on their mysterious hosts, Xel's eyes tagged the positions of every guard and weapon in the room, immediately concluding that the only ways in or out of the room were a heavily guarded door on the Three's platform and the double-doors they had just come through. It sat ill with him, but he forced his hunter's instincts down in an attempt at being a pleasant guest. As they approached the center of the elevated platform, he was sure the three beings on it could see right through him, their glowing eyes peeling away his layers of protection like an onion. His teeth gritted. He _hated_ that feeling.

They finally reached a circle at the end of the path and stood in place, both facing the Voss just fifteen feet above them. The Three seemed to study them for a moment before the central Voss spoke up, his voice booming and echoing in the wide chamber, filling every crack and crevice until it was all either of them could focus on.

"Welcome."

The simple word sent a shiver up Xel's spine, his uneasiness with the whole situation skyrocketing instantly as he felt the sheer power lacing this man's speech.

The same Voss stepped up to the edge of the platform and motioned to them both. "Please, remove your hood and helmet. We would see your faces."

Alen and Xel exchanged a look before the former drew back his hood and the latter popped the seal on his _buy'ce_, tucking it under one arm, forcing his empty hand to curl into a loose fist to avoid betraying his frayed nerves. He was sure they noticed anyway.

"Once again, we welcome you to our world. We hope your journey here was not too tedious."

"Not at all, sir," Alen answered, the Jedi within him lending calm confidence to his words. "In fact, I think we rather enjoyed the impromptu tour of your city. It is...quite magnificent."

The faintest hint of a smile graced the alien's features. "We are glad you think so, Master Jedi." A light blush filled Alen's cheeks. "It has been quite some time since a member of your order has graced our world." His expression darkened. "Although, with the Empire attempting to hunt your kind to extinction, that is hardly a surprise."

"It has been...difficult, being alone," Alen conceded. "So much has changed in the galaxy, and I fear things may never be the same again."

"All too true. It is because of this, and a vision of darkness revealed to us by our Mystics, that we were forced to sever all ties to the failing Republic."

Alen's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, are you telling me you saw Order 66 coming? Your people foretold the rise of the Empire?"

"In a way, yes," another of the Three, a female, said. "As difficult as it was for us to believe, our Mystics reported the imminent fall of a powerful Jedi and the rash of death and destruction that would follow him."

The third Voss, a blue-eyed male, spoke up at last. "Although we do not hold to your interpretations of 'Light' and 'Dark,' the Voss know all too well what the Sith are capable of. As a result, we took precautions to ensure that a conflict as had occurred in ages past would never happen here again."

"So," Xel said sharply, speaking for the first time, "you had your people wipe your existence from every database in the galaxy, isolated yourselves completely, and cloaked your planet with the Force."

The Three turned their heads to face him, the center Voss responding. "Essentially, yes. When we heard the reports of Force-users being hunted down and either turned or slaughtered, we knew we had made the right choice. The razing of Horuun Kal is one notable example."

Xel glanced at Alen, catching his mournful expression and making a note to ask him about it later. "So, the million-credit question. Why, if you've spent the last eighteen-plus years avoiding the Empire—and the galaxy, if I might add—are _we_ here?"

The Three's expressions became grave. "We need your help."

The Mando's eyes narrowed in suspicion as his brother's widened in surprise.

"A darkness has fallen on our world, growing every day. All have been effected by its presence, and we fear we are helpless to stop it."

Xel continued to stare at them silently, his hopes of finding Telia here dashed with those few words, a dark feeling rising in his gut.

"What kind of darkness?" Alen asked warily.

"After we severed our connections to the galaxy, our researchers unearthed an ancient artifact of mysterious power. It did not reveal its true nature until years later. This Dark—"

"Is that it?"

The question was so quiet, it might have been a whisper were it not for the echoing walls. Xel's dark blue eyes rose to the Three as a scowl dominated his features. "Is that the best you can do?" His fist hand clenched hard and mental shields slipped. He didn't care.

"Xel," Alen warned, a hand landing on his armored shoulder.

The Mando shrugged it off and took a single step forward, anger rolling off him. "You send a nightmare into my brother's mind, drag us halfway across the galaxy away from a deathly important mission, and _that's_ the best you can do?"

The central Voss seemed unfazed by his outburst. "You were the closest Force signatures we could find. Your brother was more responsive than the other we attempted to contact."

Xel blinked rapidly. _Other? What other?_ "I don't care," he snarled. "We've got problems of our own without worrying about your mystic _osik_."

"Xel, stop," Alen said firmly.

He turned toward him, breathing heavily and keeping his voice quiet. "Our mother was turned to the Dark Side, barely turned back, and reclaimed by the Sith, and you want to take the time to battle some vague enemy on some Force-forsaken world?"

Alen stepped away from him, taken aback by his stark observation. "It...it's my duty. As a Jedi."

Xel's jaw dropped a little. "She's your mother," he nearly whispered.

"She's _our_ mother, and if she were here, she wouldn't turn away either."

The Mando huffed and turned away, pacing in fuming silence.

"Xel, look at this logically." He put a hand on his brother's arm, stopping him. "We have no leads, no direction. We...we don't even know if she's alive."

Xel locked gazes with him. "You felt any particularly agonizing pains lately?"

"No."

"Then we know she's not dead."

"Right," the Jedi said quietly, mentally kicking himself. After all, hadn't he said the same thing to Xel on Obroa-skai? "Regardless, we still don't even know where to start. If these Voss are as farsighted as I think, maybe they can help."

Xel blinked rapidly. "So this is a bounty then. A favor for a favor."

Alen shrugged. "If you want to see it that way, fine, but...look, just let me do the talking."

Caden conceded with a nod.

His brother gave him a reassuring smile and turned back toward the Three, who had been waiting patiently. He clasped his hands in front of his torso in a sign of respect before speaking. "Honored Three, with your permission, we will give you any assistance you need." Alen hesitated, giving Xel a glance. The Mando could tell he was uncomfortable making conditions. "But," he said nonetheless, "in return, we would like yours."

The female Voss raised an eyebrow at him.

Alen gulped uneasily before continuing. "Someone very dear to us has been captured. We don't know where she's been taken."

"And what would you have us do?" the female asked.

"I'm...not sure of the extents of your power, but we would appreciate it if you could...I don't know, search for her with the Force. From what I understand, some of your people are capable of this...Mystics, I believe?"

The blue-eyed Voss pursed his lips. "It is difficult, but possible, given enough detail about the subject of the search."

"Would a Force signature suffice?"

The center Voss's eyebrows shot up. "This woman must be very dear to you if such details are available."

"She should be," Xel said firmly. "She's our mother."

A look of grave understanding passed over the Three as they nodded. "In that case, consider the bargain struck. We remember the Jedi, and if you are able to cleanse the taint that has long stained our world, such a payment would be more than appropriate."

Both brothers nodded, Xel walking over to join his brother in the center again. "Speaking of," the Mando said, "what exactly is this...taint?"

Their expressions again became grim as the central Voss pulled a holoprojector from his belt. "The artifact is of Ancient Sith origin, infused with the life force of a powerful Sith Lord." The projector showed a 3D image of a thin rectangular prism with clawed designs and Sith inscriptions along its body. "The secrets of such powerful...'enchantments' have long been lost to time, so when our people discovered its existence and true nature, they attempted to reverse engineer it."

"Woah, back up," Xel said, raising his empty hand. "Life force?" He glanced at Alen, then at the Three. "You can do that?"

"It is a lost art," the female said, "to be sure, but yes. Ancient Sith, by channeling their hatred and inner darkness, learned to infuse a portion of their life force into powerful artifacts bearing their unique personal signatures, thus binding themselves to the land of the living even after death."

"So," Alen interrupted, "you were studying the artifact to discover the secret of immortality." He sounded more than skeptical.

"Indeed," the blue-eyed Voss said with more than a little reservation, "but the results were sour, even for the Sith. What remained of them after death was often little more than an angry ghost. Powerful, but ethereal and lifeless. Their influence after death was often reduced to naught but death and destruction, which, considering their usual path during life, they would find quite agreeable. In most cases."

"And your artifact?" Alen asked.

The Three's expressions darkened before the center Voss spoke. "This particular Sith Lord...was far more cunning and insidious." The holoprojector shifted images to what looked like security cameras inside a research station. The artifact was there. "Over our years of study, some of our scientists and Mystics reported hearing whispers around the artifact, unintelligible words that itched at the backs of their minds even after leaving the research center. As time went on, however, matters worsened." The Voss pressed another button on the projector, and the feed fast-forwarded years.

"Some of our people began staring at it for long periods of time, not recording observations or doing anything whatsoever. They became unresponsive after a while and had to be bodily removed from the center. Their catatonic states seemed to fade after a while, and once the connection was made, we halted all research on the artifact, keeping everyone away from the center except the guards needed to keep it locked down." His lips tightened and expression darkened further. "But this too failed to contain it." The images shifted to the halls leading to the artifact chamber, and two guards were shown heading toward it. "Some of the men tasked with protecting our people from its influence were unable to protect themselves, and so went looking for it. The results...were catastrophic."

The two guards were shown entering the room and approaching the prism, one of them reaching out despite his comrade's reluctance. The moment his hand touched it, a change seemed to pass over his body, and he pulled back slowly, his shoulders seeming to broaden and chest puffing out with a sudden and newfound pride. He promptly turned to his comrade and drew his pistol, plugging him twice in the chest despite the man's pleading. His eyes were changed as well, now that they were within the camera's range, now emitting some kind of energy, its color indiscernible in the blue-tinted image. He turned for the door and strode out, the other feeds showing him going on an unstoppable rampage before he shot a nearby camera out.

"It took over a dozen of our commandos and almost two hours of relentless fighting to bring him down," the blue-eyed Voss said, his voice and expression heavier than the others.

Xel rightly figured he had a personal connection to the deranged guard, noting the darker blue his eyes had been before his transformation.

"After that incident," the female continued, "only the strongest-willed of our commandos were assigned to guard the artifact while our Mystics and scientists tried to find ways to destroy it or otherwise rid us of its influence."

"Only you couldn't," Xel assumed.

"No, we could not. Whatever was used in the construction of that cursed object, be it materials or Sith magic, it was indestructible by any means we could produce, so it remained here, under our watchful care. If a guard began to slip, he was immediately relieved with a fresh one. No one was allowed near that building except those strong enough to resist its influence...or so we thought."

"One of our finest commanders," the center Voss said, "Makar-Sei, was a failed Mystic. He underwent the trials but never received visions or was able to heal others—those are the primary functions of our Mystics. Regardless, he took the rejection in stride and strove to become a great member of our commando corps. He succeeded, and quickly rose through the ranks to become a leader. As both a powerful Force-user and strong-willed, moral individual, Makar was the ideal choice to watch over the artifact. Unfortunately, he was also the perfect vessel for its power."

An image of a tall, strong-looking Voss pervaded the projector, his build alone commanding respect.

"Over time," the Voss continued, "we noticed a drop in the number of men that needed to be relieved and wrongfully assumed it was because the artifact's power was weakening. In reality, the Sith Lord imbedded in it was merely focusing all his attention on Makar-Sei. Over a period of years, lasting until days most recent, Makar resisted the Sith's influence, but even the strongest minds break if assaulted long and hard enough."

"Or given the right incentive," Xel muttered under his breath.

"When he finally caved in, the fallout was...even worse than anticipated."

The hologram shifted scenes to Makar-Sei, whose right arm was swinging an electrostaff as his left fired a pistol at another commando. The Sith object hung from his belt, flapping with his movements as he struck down his former comrades one after the next. Xel shuddered as he watched his rage-driven movements, seeing his own hybrid blaster-saber style mimicked in the Voss's actions. The last commando in the group trying to stop the rogue commander sprinted straight at him, electrostaff held high, before stopping short and seizing, hand going to his throat as he slowly lifted off the ground. Makar stared at his choking victim with absent interest for a few moments before clenching his fist, the man's body falling limp in his Force Grip as his bones and internal organs were crushed.

Alen gave out a shuddering sigh and looked away, unable to watch any more. "How did you stop him?" he asked quietly.

A moment of hesitation passed before the female Voss spoke. "We didn't."

Both brothers exchanged a look before locking gazes with the Three.

"And so," the central Voss said, "you see our dilemma."

* * *

AN: The Voss are a thing. So says SWTOR. I played through those missions fairly recently as a Jedi Knight, hence the relief sculpture in the city square, and found that I loved the idea of a world controlled by Force-users during the time of the Empire. As for the artifact, well...you'll just have to wait and see just what it is. Hint: it's more than just an indestructible, finely crafted bar. The weird release day is for a reason, as I'll be releasing the other two parts two days after each other. As always, please rate and recommend.

_Oya, ner vode._

\- CDrake


	20. Visions of Darkness, Part II

AN: I am so sorry. I had planned on posting this chapter between my job and AP Lit, but since school was cancelled today, that timing got lost.

* * *

Alen gave out a shuddering sigh and looked away, unable to watch any more. "How did you stop him?" he asked quietly.

A moment of hesitation passed before the female Voss spoke. "We didn't."

Both brothers exchanged a look before locking gazes with the Three.

"And so," the central Voss said, "you see our dilemma."

...

The Sanctuary, Voss-Ka, Voss

8 months BBY

Both brothers seemed stunned for a few moments, not quite sure what to say. In the end, it was Alen who spoke first.

"Yes. I see." His voice was nearly a whisper.

Xel was more enthusiastic, if only just a little, his low chuckle echoing through the chamber. "So it really _is_ another bounty." He took a deep breath in and slowly let it out before returning his gaze to the Three. "Well then, you called for the right team. Consider us hired."

Alen half-expected the Voss to scowl at Xel's casual manner with regard to one of their own, but they instead seemed to respect his businesslike approach.

"Understood," the central Voss said. "Makar-Sei was last seen in Ken-La, a region not two kilometers from Voss-Ka. He is hiding somewhere in the mountains, consolidating his strength."

"Wait," Alen said confusedly, "consolidating?"

The female Voss spoke up. "When Makar-Sei fell, he took others with him, corrupted his friends among the commandos, those he did not kill."

"As his ranks grew, so did the rate of growth," the blue-eyes Voss said. "His total forces may soon be enough to challenge ours for supremacy over Voss, and if we send our own to fight him, we risk corrupting them as well."

"Hence why you were forced to ask for outside help," Alen added, exchanging a look with his brother. "So why do you think we'll have better success if you know him so well? After all, you'd think that being as familiar as you are with his tactics and abilities, you'd have the best chance of stopping him."

The central Voss shook his head. "It is that familiarity that counts against us. We know him, all too well."

"He was a personal friend of yours," Xel inferred, frowning at their nods. "I understand." His tone held a note of sadness to it, and his next words were even more hesitant. "Is...is it possible he can be saved?"

All present, Alen included, gave him a surprised look.

"With the Force," his brother said quietly, "anything is possible."

"But," the female interrupted, "considering Makar-Sei's actions up to this point, it is more than safe to say he is too far gone. His original personality and morality are all but destroyed. He is no more than a puppet now."

Blue-eyes spoke up. "It is for this reason as well that we are loathe to face him, for while our previous friendship may produce hesitation on our part, Makar-Sei's mind is so heavily warped that the same cannot be said of him."

Xel pursed his lips and brooded with his side to them as Alen spoke. "Understood. If nothing can be done for him, then..." Alen met his brother's pained eyes. "Then we'll do our best to end his torment. Being under the control of a Sith, being forced to watch as you slay your friends...I can see how he could deteriorate even faster after the initial fall. Such grief can only lead to madness."

"Too true, Master Jedi." A long silence passed. "What is your plan to defeat him?"

Alen shot Xel a glance, indicating it was his turn to speak. Such tactical decisions, after all, were the hunter's area of expertise.

"First, we'll need a layout of the area where Makar-Sei's holed up. No sense walking into a potential ambush without knowing where they might be coming from."

The central Voss nodded. "Agreed, but such matters are not to be discussed here, nor by the Three." He pulled a datapad from the folds of his robe, tapping a few keys before stowing it again. "I believe you have already met Captain Jor-Le," he said, motioning to the opening double-doors behind them.

Alen smiled and bowed slightly in the soldier's direction, Xel tipping his head.

"The captain will escort you to a forward command post set up to monitor Makar-Sei's movements in Ken-La. His commando teams will assist you in any way you need."

Xel nodded firmly. "Glad to hear it. If he's got as many troops as you think, we'll need all the help we can get." The Mando glanced back at the captain. "There any chance we can visit my ship? There's a few things I wanna get before heading out."

The Three nodded in tandem. "Jor-Le, see to it."

He saluted crisply. "At once, honored ones." Lowering his hand, he nodded toward the doors.

Xel donned his helmet and walked toward the exit when the Three spoke again as one.

"Go with our blessing, offworlders, and may the Force be with you."

Alen gave them one final bow and Xel a nod of respect before they left for the _Kandosii'tal_.

...

30 minutes later

Voss outpost, outskirts of Ken-La

Xel stared at the projection in grim concentration, his brother somewhat at a loss of what to do as he too adopted the position. The Jedi was far from a soldier, despite his prowess in lightsaber combat, so he was all too glad to see Xel take command. The Mando had a heavy assault cannon slung over his shoulder, the weapon easily weighing over 18 pounds but barely seeming to slow him down. Whether that was from passive use of the Force or his own considerable physique, no one could tell, just that he seemed perfectly at ease.

"So Makar-Sei is hiding in these ruins," Xel stated, pointing to a large cluster of half-collapsed buildings near the top of a large hill nearby.

Jor-Le's lips tightened as he leaned against the large holoprojector with both hands. "I would not call what he is doing hiding. His forces number in the dozens, and the majority of them are quite visible bustling about with some task or another. It is almost as if he is taunting us."

Xel smirked malevolently. "Then let's not disappoint him." He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Captain, how many commandos do we have at our disposal?"

"Just over forty at present, with more flying in from other locations."

"Do any of your squads have specializations? Demolition, infiltration, and such."

"Aurek Squad is known for its capable snipers, and Cresh for camouflage."

"Guess that'll have to do," Xel muttered to himself, narrowed eyes scanning the projection as troop movements were shown. "Tell me, Jor. If it were you up there, what would be your move?"

The captain thought about it a while. "Given that I know I am outnumbered and outgunned, my priority would be to maximize my stronghold's defenses and post guards to watch for intruders. Home field advantage, you might call it."

Xel nodded thoughtfully. "You wouldn't happen to have any bombers, right?"

Jor shook his head. "No. Our starcraft are limited to transport vessels, as interstellar war has never been engaged in among our people."

"Then we do this the old-fashioned way. I want Cresh Squad to scout out guard positions, mark down any hidden troops, anywhere they might ambush us." He watched the Voss nod and turn toward one of his nearby soldiers before adding as an afterthought, "And tell them not to get too close to the fortress. If Makar-Sei's as powerful as you believe and has such complete control over his followers, he can detect any intruders with the Force and effectively transmit their positions to his men. They'll be outnumbered before they can even sound off."

Jor-Le nodded. "Understood."

As he moved to get his men ready, Xel turned to Alen, who was fidgeting with the plastoid armor plate hidden under his tunic. He had donned the armor piece at Xel's insistence, the Mando assuring him it was light enough to allow him the same freedom of movement. "You all right, _vod_?"

The Jedi nodded resolutely. "Fine. Just uneasy about going up against another Dark Force-user." He grimaced a little. "Last time didn't turn out so well."

Xel exhaled hard, their last confrontation with Vader all too vivid in his memory. "Well, you were caught off-guard, and I don't think this guy's quite as powerful."

"Probably not, no, but he _was_ a commando and damn good at his job _before_ his Sith enhancements. You saw what he did to those soldiers in the recording, and that was weeks ago. You can imagine how powerful he is now."

Xel frowned deeply, staring at the holoprojector. "Right," he said quietly before turning to his brother with a slight smile. "But, the last time he went on a rampage, the Voss didn't have a Jedi on their side."

Alen shrugged. "A Padawan. Talented, maybe, but...nothing special."

The Mando scoffed. "You're the son of an elite Mandalorian and a Jedi General. That automatically makes you special, and plus...you're not alone." He punctuated this statement by patting the hardcase at the right of his belt.

Alen stared at it with narrowed eyes. "You never explained to me why you don't carry it on the left side, like me. Or, on a clip, for that matter. Why the hardcase?"

"Well, it prevents the saber from falling off, or at least greatly reduces the chances. That, and it makes it somewhat difficult for another Force-user to pull it off."

"Hm. And the right side?"

"Well, considering the saber drops into my hand instead of me drawing it, it doesn't seem very practical. That, and it's faster and easier to just raise my hand to my side instead of reaching over. Also much less obvious."

"Sometimes, theatricality is necessary to defuse a situation."

Xel smirked. "That's your forte, not mine. My definition of defusing typically involves a much higher body count. Besides, so few lightsabers exist anymore that just activating one should be more than dramatic enough."

Alen was silent for a while, his mouth slowly curling into a smirk.

Xel noticed. "What?"

His brother smiled wider. "What are the odds that we go on a mission to find our mother and recruit a woman named Iola Voss, then on another job to do the same thing run into a world called Voss, not to mention they're both so obscure as to be nonexistent?"

An amused look passed over Caden's features. "Don't think the coincidence was lost on me."

Alen chuckled as he looked toward the entrance of the command tent and nodded. "Speaking of drama."

Jor-Le strode inside, a sour expression on his face. "You were right, Xel Caden. Makar found Cresh before they even got close. We have no closer visuals than this." He motioned to the projection from one of their aerial spy drones.

Caden cursed under his breath, scowling at the image. "Well...plan B then."

Alen raised his eyebrows. "There's a plan B?"

Xel stormed out of the tent, giving Alen a pretty good idea of just what he was planning and sending the Jedi running out to stop him. "I know what I'm doing."

"And what's that exactly, trying to get yourself killed?"

"No," he answered calmly, donning his helmet as he marched toward his nearby speeder bike. Xel straddled the seat and activated its engines, looking back up at his brother. "Making an impression." Powering up the repulsorlifts, he hovered three feet off the ground, sitting in place as he fine-tuned the bike. "Captain Jor-Le, ready your men for a full frontal assault. We're gonna soften 'em up."

The Voss looked at him disbelievingly but nodded and strode away. Alen stared at the ranks of commandos snapping to attention at the approach of their commander, startled from his thoughts by a filtered voice at his side.

"You comin'?"

Alen blinked at him in confusion for a moment before the Mando motioned to another bike nearby. Reluctantly, the Jedi nodded and mounted it, following his brother's example and preparing for a high-speed entrance. "You got a plan?"

Xel nodded. "Just follow my lead." He reached for the throttle lever and yanked on it hard, rapidly accelerating as Alen followed a moment later. The two of them evened out and sped up the hill neck and neck, both mentally preparing themselves for a fight.

Alen spoke up somewhat hesitantly. "I know the Three were abundantly clear on what has to be done with Makar-Sei, but what about the people under his control?"

Xel blinked twice and breathed out hard. "If that artifact is as powerful as they say, they're most likely already too far gone to be helped." He could feel the disappointment over their Bond, so added, "But on the off-chance I'm wrong...I'll try to show some restraint."

"Thank you," Alen said quietly.

"That said, they won't be walking out unscathed, and if it comes down to a choice between me and them...well, I think you know my decision."

The Jedi nodded. "Understood."

The brothers zipped up the hill at a breakneck speed, passing trees and the local wildlife, which were a lot bigger and more dangerous-looking than they would have liked, and approached the ruined fortress with two separate dispositions. Alen's mind was mostly calm and collected, but he was far more nervous than he would have liked and more concerned about collateral damage than his brother. Xel was almost deathly calm, his professional façade only reinforced by the faceless helmet he wore.

Neither approach affected the veritable swarm of entranced Voss charging at them from the fortress. Blaster fire rang out repeatedly as the possessed soldiers assaulted their fast-moving intruders, the two Force-users deftly dodging the plasma as they streaked past, attracting the attention of every guard in their path on their way to the central building, a tall stone structure in far less disrepair than the rest of the buildings. Xel Force Pushed a Voss that came too close, and Alen drew his saber to bat away two bolts that would have tagged his chest, slashing through the barrels of two blasters in a passing blur of light.

Xel activated the underslung blaster of his swoop, firing at the main door of the building in the distance several times before a flurry of shots smacked into him and his ride.

"Xel!" Alen shouted franticly. "Xel, are you okay?!"

"Fine!" he yelled back, drawing a pistol to kneecap one of the snipers above and shoot the arm of the other.

"That thing's toast!" Alen pointed out, motioning to his now-flaming swoop.

Xel smirked behind his helmet as he reached down and planted a detpack on the side of his seat. "Then let _them_ have it."

The Mando coiled up and called on the Force, springing off his doomed swoop and backflipping toward Alen, who ducked down as his brother landed on the space behind him in a crouch, one hand gripping the bike as the other steadied the assault cannon slung over his shoulder. The brothers watched as Xel's bike crashed into the damaged front door, exploding on contact as the detpack detonated, creating a massive hole that allowed them to streak through. Behind them, Jor-Le's Voss commandos were assaulting the fortress and using the possessed troopers' distraction to subdue many of them quite easily.

Xel leapt from Alen's bike and landed in a roll as a dozen Corrupted rushed them with electrostaves, the Jedi charging and drawing his lightsaber as he rode past, the blade colliding hard with several staves and knocking their users to the ground. Loading a concussive round into the underslung launcher of his cannon, Caden fired a single shot into a cluster of commandos that sent them flying in various directions with broken bones and bruised bodies, but heartbeats all the same. Alen had leapt from his bike, allowing it to glide to a stop as he engaged the rest, dueling several guards at once as his brother approached.

A single volley of automatic rounds at low power splashed over four guards, injuring most and critically injuring one. When Alen shot him a disapproving look, Xel just fired again, taking more pressure off his brother. _I _did_ say I would _try_ to show restraint._ Taking fanatical enemies like this alive wasn't in his nature, especially not when his family was threatened. Spotting another ten guards moving in from a hallway that led deeper into the fortress, Xel fired an explosive round at a nearby column that crashed and broke apart right on top of them. Alen cut the leg of a stubborn duelist and kicked him to the ground, then parried and redirected a strike from the last one remaining before clubbing him with the hilt of his lightsaber and rejoining Xel.

The pair proceeded into the bowels of the fortress, coming to a large, open atrium a few minutes later. Xel narrowed his eyes at the "empty" space in suspicion, making hand-signals for Alen to proceed further in. A hydraulic hiss was the only sound that indicated Xel's ascension into the rafters as his brother kept walking, saber drawn but not active yet. When he was halfway through, a sharp push from the Force led Alen to activate his saber and deflect a half-dozen blaster bolts away from him, spinning the blade in an intricate pattern to ward off a volley of incoming shots.

The Voss attackers started spilling out of the woodwork, descending from raised doors and passages and coming from both main entrances as well. Li-am's eyes widened at the overwhelming numbers facing him, knowing he couldn't defend all sides at once. As it turned out, he didn't have to. Two explosions rang out as the rear entrance collapsed on the Voss pouring in, crushing some and trapping most on the other side. A squad of guards fell victim to an extended burst of automatic fire as Xel sniped them from the rafters, his cannon spitting out plasma at a feverish pace as it started to run hot.

Though Alen frowned at his blatant use of lethal force, Xel knew he knew it was necessary. There was no way they could hold back against such overwhelming odds. A moment later, Caden found out Alen realized this. The Jedi leapt twenty feet toward a commando trying to snipe his brother, lightsaber flashing and cutting a line across his chest as he spun, juking around two shots and deflecting two back into their sources. A Force Push blew back three of them at once, followed by a quick series of shots from Xel that put them down for good. Alen stabbed through the midsection of a guard with an electrostaff, then pulled out to finish him with a spinning strike across the chest.

A plasma bolt struck far too close to Alen for Xel's comfort, and he popped the last tibanna gas clip into his cannon before opening up on a crowd of Corrupted in an automatic salvo that cut through their armor like butter, the few shots they managed to send his way absorbing harmlessly into his armor. Alen's blade was a deadly blur, his precise deflections and counterattacks against close-quarters opponents followed by redirections against numerous gunners. Alen's blade was his cover, as was Xel's armor to him. Finally, the Mando's weapon beeped empty, and he dropped the heavy device in favor of his blasters, ducking and weaving around enemy fire and returning a great deal of his own.

The enemy's ranks finally began to thin from the twenty-plus troopers that had confronted them to less than six, most of which were down to their electrostaves.

"Surrender," Alen said, voice quiet and nearly breaking. "Please."

"Makar-Sei demands your destruction, nonbeliever," they all said in tandem. "We are honor-bound to obey him."

"What honor is there in pointless slaughter?" Xel sounded like he was snarling behind his helmet.

"Makar-Sei demands your destruction," they repeated.

Xel looked over at his brother, blasters still trained on them. "It's hopeless, Alen. I told you. They're too far gone."

The Jedi pursed his lips tightly. "Maybe. Maybe not. Listen to their language. They say _Makar-Sei_ wants us dead, as if it isn't even their choice."

"There is _always_ a choice."

"Xel," Alen said quietly, deactivating his saber and clipping it to his belt, "not everyone is as strong-willed as you."

The Mando turned back to his targets and looked into the eyes that, though compound and alien, revealed heavy amounts of emotion nonetheless. As he kept staring, he realized what was so wrong about them. _They're…empty…but not empty. Almost…_ His own eyes widened as the memory of Telia's broken expression flashed in his mind and the same tortured feeling was felt through the Force. With a heavy sigh, his blasters lowered and holstered. Xel could feel his brother relaxing over their Bond as he raised his hand.

"Sleep," the Jedi said evenly and authoritatively, hand curling and causing one of the commandos to spasm briefly before falling unconscious as Xel did the same to another.

The others, seeing what was happening to their comrades, charged at the pair. Alen deftly sidestepped a swing and delivered a wheel kick to the soldier's head, knocking him out with one blow. Xel snapped his head away from high shot and went for the more direct approach, grabbing the staff and swinging its user off-balance before pulling him close into a _kov'nyn_ and knocking him out. His electrostaff went inactive and dropped to the floor a moment later. Alen nodded to him solemnly and strode toward the main door, stopping in the doorway and looking back at the pile of corpses left behind. Though he didn't share it, Caden couldn't help but feel his brother's sorrow over so many lives lost and put a hand on his shoulder as a result.

The Jedi's expression toughened as he nodded and turned his mind back to the task at hand, marching straight toward a set of double-doors that vaguely resembled those in the Three's chamber in the Sanctuary. This door, however, showed the same three hooded Voss lying at the feet of a fourth, most of them partially dismembered and all looking quite dead except the fourth, who stood over them with a black blade. The image unsettled both brothers, the Jedi looking far paler than he had a few moments ago.

"You feel that?" Alen asked quietly.

Xel closed his eyes briefly before nodding. "Yes. It's...it almost feels like Vader. The same feeling of a black hole."

Alen nodded slowly. "We need to be careful. I have no idea what we're going to face in there."

"Me neither." Xel let out a long, thoughtful breath. "You enter first. I'll hide my signature in the Force while you distract Makar-Sei, then hit him from above when he's vulnerable."

"Right," Alen agreed with a nod. "Be careful."

"Always." The Mando launched his cable again, reeling himself up a story and pushing into an air vent, the grating bending backward with a constant Force Push so that it would open slowly and quietly. He gave Alen a glance and a nod before disappearing into the air ducts as the Jedi pushed open the double doors.

* * *

AN: The assault cannon Caden uses is based off those utilized in The Old Republic. I always wondered why the Imperials or Rebels never continued their use, considering how effective they are.


	21. Visions of Darkness, Part III

"Be careful."

"Always." The Mando launched his cable again, reeling himself up a story and pushing into an air vent, the grating bending backward with a constant Force Push so that it would open slowly and quietly. He gave Alen a glance and a nod before disappearing into the air ducts as the Jedi pushed open the double doors.

…

Ken-La, Voss

8 months BBY

The first thing Alen was aware of upon entering the room was a dozen pedestals alight with fire, creating a path similar to that in the Three's chamber, but leading to an elevated throne instead of a pedestal. On that throne sat the same hooded Voss he had seen in his vision, two slight violet glows the only evidence of anything behind the hood. With a slight gulp, Alen advanced on the figure with even steps, making his way across the large, rectangular room to face his enemy. Makar-Sei didn't move a muscle, but instead just seemed to stare at him with those glowing orbs, nothing else on his face visible.

Alen came to a stop some twenty feet away from the possessed Voss commander before speaking. "Makar-Sei, for the sake of your world and yourself, I ask that you give up the artifact and surrender to the Three."

For a few moments, the commander just sat there and glowered at him, eyes searching for any sign of fear or weakness. "So…those fools actually managed to do it."

An involuntary shudder passed through Alen at the resonating, inhuman voice that came from the body. "Do what?"

"Why, find a Jedi, of course. I had assumed there were so few left that it would be nigh impossible…but I was wrong." He chuckled darkly. "Not that it matters."

The Jedi's eyes narrowed under his own hood. "And why's that?"

Makar-Sei rose from the throne and stepped forward twice, standing at the top of the stairs and looking down at him. "Because you are nothing to me."

Alen smirked threateningly. "I beg to differ. The Three wouldn't have called on me if they didn't think I could get the job done."

This time he laughed loudly, the harsh sound reverberating across the room and sending a chill up Alen's spine. "Those fools would call for any help they could get. They're desperate and fearful. That makes them weak."

"No, it makes them sentient. Means they have a soul, because they fear for what you'd do given the chance, the kind of death and destruction you'd wreak on their world."

"Precisely. That fear separates the weak from the strong, and in this galaxy, only the strong are meant to survive. That is why your Order fell so easily."

Alen grit his teeth. "The Order fell because you Sith used trickery and deception to destroy us. Weren't honorable enough to do it yourselves."

"And since when have you ever known Sith to value honor? Honor is a lie, a fabrication of 'right' behavior brought about by the weakness of your morality. It is what gives us an evolutionary advantage, and if history, specifically recent history, has proven anything, it is that evolution always wins."

The Jedi shook his head resolutely. "Not here. Not this time. I won't let you." He pulled his saber off his belt but kept it inactive.

"Fool. You have no choice." Makar-Sei, or what used to be Makar-Sei, strode down the steps one by one as he spoke. "I've slain a thousand Jedi, Knights and Masters both. I was the right hand of my master, the instrument of his damnation and destruction until I was deceived and slain on this accursed world so many years ago. You are but a mere Padawan, boy. What hope do you think you have?"

Alen smirked. "Whatever you _were_, you are now but a shadow of your former self, no more than the angry ghost of a child starved for attention." He felt the anger rise in his opponent and ignited his lightsaber, holding it two-handedly in Offensive Neutral. "And like all ghosts, you are meant to be put to rest." The Jedi heard a slight snarl come from Makar-Sei before his feel turned from anger to one of amusement.

Makar-Sei chuckled again. "Really?" He leaned toward him, a ten-foot gap still separating them. "You and what army?"

"This army."

Makar-Sei's eyes snapped upward as several shots rang out from a pair of Mandalorian APs, raising his hands one after the other as the bolts were reflected off his open palms. A flick of his wrist sent a flaming pedestal flying toward the shooter, who leapt from his perch in a twist-flip, firing his weapons rapidly as he fell and landed next to his brother. When they faced off, two barrels still pointed and smoking, Makar-Sei's hands were smoking as well, but undamaged.

"Damn," Xel said. "I've really gotta learn how to do that."

"With those gloves," Alen remarked almost flippantly, "I'm not sure you need to."

The Mando shrugged. "Fair point. So how do we play this?"

"Play? This isn't a game, Xel." Alen looked at him aghast, lowering his blade and turning to him fully as Xel lowered his pistols and faced him as well.

"Really? Because the way I see it, this is the oldest game in the galaxy, one power play against another, with us hunters caught doin' the dirty work."

"Hunters? You're the only 'hunter' here, and you agreed to take this job."

"That's only because the stakes are so high. After all, our fee _is_ one-of-a-kind."

"Wow, so all you care about is the prize? I really misjudged you."

"Maybe you did!" Xel shouted childishly, noting the way Makar-Sei was just staring at the pair incredulously and smiling behind his helmet.

"You know, you would think that after all this time spent around each other, I'd know you better than this!"

"Well, I guess not!"

The brothers were actually getting up in each other's faces now, the possessed Voss seemingly forgotten in the "heat" of their childish argument.

"This is why Mom always liked me best."

"Oh yeah?"

Alen crossed his arms. "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Alen responded as he leaned toward Xel, an additional edge to his tone. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I think I'll just—"

"What are you two _doing_?!"

The brothers turned toward the source of the voice and looked at him quizzically, as if they had just noticed his presence. The Sith inhabiting Makar-Sei's body sounded genuinely peeved that he had been so easily forgotten.

Xel's reply was almost flippant. "Oh, we were just distracting you."

Before the Voss had time to consider this, the Mando tapped a key on his left gauntlet, activating the thermal detonator he had lowered from his perch with the Force during their "argument," the explosion engulfing him in flames as the pair looked on.

"Well," Xel said in a satisfied voice, swiping his palms across each other, "that was easy."

"Was it?"

The voice instantly put them both on alert as the inferno in front of them curled and swirled in a flaming spiral, the fire illuminating the figure and part of the face of Makar-Sei, whose robes were somewhat charred but body was undamaged.

"Move!" Alen shouted as he pushed Xel away from him, a massive gout of flames flooding through their former position.

…

The Mando pumped shots left and right, most of them missing as his target started moving faster than the bolts were flying, reflecting the rest away from himself. A strong Force Grip on his body prompted the activation of his jetpack, the sudden thrust straining against Makar's pull. Alen's lightsaber again rang to life and swung at Makar's open back, the blade deflected by the rapid drawing of his electrosword. As the two skilled duelists locked blades, Xel dropped to the ground and took a moment to get his bearings, then activated his own lightsaber and stormed forward.

The Sith hadn't been kidding when he said he was an instrument of destruction. Every strike was blocked and countered, and he was still clearly holding back. When they attacked in tandem, he Force Pushed them both ten feet away, the brothers rolling to their feet and standing firmly. Two pairs of eyes drifted to his right hand, which had transferred the sword to his left before reaching for his belt and the artifact hanging there. They watched as he unclipped it and pointed the rectangular shaft in their direction, wondering at his intentions before he pressed a stone-like button on its body.

With a strange, hollow noise, an energy blade sprang from the artifact, thin, straight, and as long as their lightsabers. It took Xel a few moments to realize what was so strange about it. _It's…black._

"Alen," he said quietly, "what…the hell…is that thing?"

"I have no idea. I've never seen a saber like that before, so I got no clue what it's capable of."

"Best not to find out by experience, yes?"

The Jedi nodded. "Right."

The brothers moved to opposite sides of the dual-wielding Makar-Sei, forcing him to look in both directions to keep track of them…or so they thought. A low chuckle came from his throat as Xel came at his back, his electrosword blocking a blow that would have bisected him and saber slashing at his shoulder. The Mando dodged the strike, countering with an upward cut that missed his chest by a hairsbreadth. Alen moved forward, stabbing precisely at his right wrist in an attempt to disarm him but finding himself on the defensive when his lightsaber was batted aside and Makar advanced on him, swinging with such strength that his entire form vibrated with the impacts.

Xel pressed the attack from his other side, bringing down several hard vertical strikes before withdrawing a pace and flipping forward, swinging his saber down even harder with the force of his spin and fall. Makar-Sei simply dodged to the side and slashed his electrosword across the youth's chestplate, kicking him back and reengaging his brother. The Jedi was having difficulty keeping up with the Sith's dual-wielding style, as Makashi was intended primarily for one-on-one dueling with single-blades, and his opponent knew it. With a shunting strike, he knocked Alen's blade to the side with his saber, then slashed at his midsection with the electrosword, missing by a millimeter when Alen thrust his hips backward.

An angry yell preceded a flying kick to Makar's head from Xel, the boot actually knocking his hood off and him to the ground. The Voss's normal blue and orange skin markings were now pale and somewhat faded, his normally orange eyes now glowing a dark violet. Seeing his opportunity, Xel pressed the attack, bringing his lightsaber down hard and meeting both the Sith's blades as he blocked the strike and kicked him away. Makar flipped to his feet and swung his weapons in tandem in opposite directions, nearly taking Xel's head off and forcing him to duck out of the way.

The electrosword fell again and collided with Xel's left gauntlet, which deflected the strike and allowed him to stab at Makar's head. The blue blade sped past as the commander ducked and spun clockwise inside his swinging range, slamming his right elbow into the Mando's armored abdomen and Force Pushing him away. Alen leapt over his brother's flying body to land a falling vertical strike on his sword, knocking the weapon from his grip and locking sabers with him.

…

"You cannot win, boy. You're a fool if you think you can."

The Jedi grit his teeth and pushed against him harder. "You're the bigger fool if you think I won't try."

To his surprise, the Sith actually gave ground, his dark blade drawing dangerously close to his own neck. Seeing his opportunity, Alen kept pushing, unconsciously putting himself off-balance. When Makar's resistance faded completely and he withdrew, Alen pitched forward right into a hard knee. A pommel strike from the Voss sent stars flashing through his vision and his body to the ground.

"As I said," he laughed. "You cannot win." He was about to deal the killing blow when another fire-bowl broke on his chest, sending flames up and across his robes. Makar-Sei snarled in pain as he used the Force to smother the flames just in time to catch Xel's falling blade. "Enough!"

A massive Force Wave blew them both back, and random loose articles from around the room started flying at them. Executing a Circle of Shelter, Xel tried to press forward and reach their attacker, but stopped when Makar raised his left hand in a familiar gesture. Violet tendrils shot from his fingers as Lightning coursed through the air, leaving the smell of burning ozone and Xel barely holding his ground as his lightsaber took the brunt of the attack. The man he'd met on Raydonia had nothing on this Sith's abilities with Force Lightning, and he found his boots skidding across the hard stone floor.

Alen managed to get cover and levitate another fire-bowl, chucking it at their opponent to try and distract him. It worked, for a brief time, but quickly backfired as he once again channeled the flames in Xel's direction. The boy had no time to dodge, and instead put up a Force Shield around his body, the fire scorching his armor and causing pain, but no permanent damage. Alen channeled his energies into a Force Blast that slammed into Makar-Sei and sent him flying across the room into a vertical pillar, the impact making a small crater. The Sith rose to his feet, baring his teeth at the Jedi hatefully and calling on the Dark Side.

The disturbance he created was palpable in the Force, and Alen barely had time to blink before he and Xel were lifted off the ground and rocketed through the air. Both their bodies slammed through stone pillars—pillars, plural. Their Force Shields were battered to nothing, and the pair could only grit their teeth and try to block out the pain as they were smashed through one object after another, dumped unceremoniously in the center of the room when Makar-Sei decided they'd had enough. Alen groaned and hissed as he tried to push himself up, yelling loudly when massive pain shot up his left arm. As he slumped to the ground on his right side, he looked over at the appendage to see his forearm bent unnaturally, broken.

His lightsaber lay some seven feet away, and he channeled the Force into retrieving it, but between the agony and his own fear, nothing happened. Xel was immobile without his helmet, unconscious, and he had nothing left to fight with as Makar-Sei's glowing eyes drew closer and closer, the Sith taking each step slowly, almost mockingly as he relished his victory. The sounds of the room faded to a dull hum, the explosion of a wall behind the Sith only a muffled thump in his ears as a dozen Voss commandos flooded the room and opened fire on their former commander.

Makar-Sei deflected the shots effortlessly and brought one of the damaged pillars down on three of them with a gesture before engulfing another two in Force Lightning. Their charred corpses fell to the ground a few moments later, the Sith charging at his former comrades and cutting two of them down before they could draw electrostaves and engaging the last five with malevolent relish, a mocking smile on his face the whole time. He slashed, crippled, choked, and dismembered the commandos without so much as a second thought, without even breaking a sweat. Barely a minute after their entry, the entire squad lay dead at Makar-Sei's feet.

Belatedly, he turned his attention to the prone Force-users and strode toward them with purpose. Renewed terror swept through Alen at his proximity as black spots swam in his vision. He desperately called on the Force to keep the pain at bay and watched in horror as Makar stood over him and raised his saber over his head.

…

A ringing _snap-hiss_ preceded a loud clash, black meeting blue as Xel held back Makar's strike, their blades hovering barely two feet from his brother's body as he strained against the Sith's impossible strength.

"You fool," the Voss mocked as he pushed the blade down another couple inches. "Your partner lies crippled and weak, and your body aches with injuries. You've lost all backup and hope of rescue. Whatever slim chances you had before are _gone_, so why do you persist?"

"Because," Xel hissed out in strain and anger, "he's family." To his surprise, their sabers started to rise away from Alen's body. Xel pushed up once more, adding Force to the effort and snapping Makar's blade away from him entirely before locking blades again and shoving him back. His sapphire blade angled diagonally toward the Sith threateningly. "And family always comes first."

Black met blue again and again, their shafts flashing and crackling loudly at every contact as Xel unleashed his anger and used Shien for all it was worth. Makar-Sei actually looked taken aback by his sudden fury and strength, and withdrew several steps before holding his ground and locking blades with the Mando. The sabers twisted and pushed in the lock, each duelist trying to find some advantage and getting none as they strained against each other until Makar managed to angle his blade horizontally—almost within range of Xel's neck. As he pushed the lock closer, the humming black approached slowly but steadily with deadly intent, and Xel started to panic.

"Xel!" Alen yelled painfully from behind him, the image of a flying hilt flashing through Xel's mind.

His left hand left his lightsaber and extended to the side, stretching out to the Force and calling the thrown weapon to his grasp. Another _snap-hiss_ filled the air as the Mando slashed Alen's lightsaber diagonally at Makar's side, the surprised Sith barely dodging in time by leaping into the air. He was surprised again when a spinning disc of blue light chased after him, the deadly circle barely missing his falling body as he twisted out of the way and returning to the right hand of its owner. Makar-Sei hit the ground and gazed at his opponent, who crossed both blue blades threateningly and scowled at him before charging.

The Sith met each strike with the same strength as before, but Xel was relentless, hammering his defenses again and again with incredible speed and force, his style unrefined but still deadly as strikes came from every direction. When he swung both sabers in opposite directions, Makar ducked and slashed at his left-hand blade, disarming him of Alen's lightsaber and putting him on the defensive. One strike followed the next as he steadily pushed his Mandalorian opponent back, the youth giving more and more ground until a rock smashed into his head from a Force Throw and he was disarmed of his own lightsaber.

Staggering back, Xel could only keep his hands up as a torrent of rocks and debris pelted his chest and arms, hammering him with blunt force so hard, he could feel ribs breaking under the shocks. When it finally ended, he kept limping back, away from that deadly black blade as he rapidly considered his options. _I can't beat him. It's impossible. He's faster, stronger, and far more skilled than I am. His power dwarfs mine._ Xel kept withdrawing, the Sith advancing at a walk with a confident, mocking smile on his face. Dark blue eyes widened. _Confidence…or overconfidence?_

Memories flashed through his mind of the Force holocron teaching him about the Sith and their traits, about their arrogance and irreverent attitude toward the Force, and all life for that matter. He looked at his hands, one of them holding his broken ribs and the other hanging at his side…and he knew what to do. Caden kept moving backward as Makar advanced, intentionally backing himself into a corner as he felt a wave of gratification come from the Sith.

"And so it ends," Makar-Sei said as Xel's jetpack hit the wall, the boy's eyes widening in terror. His saber raised and arms moved to a stabbing position, shooting forward at lightning speed, right toward a gap in his armor that would ensure entry.

The only thing it entered was the stone wall behind him, and even then not so far. Violet eyes widened in sheer shock as he saw the cause of the stop. Near the end of his blade, just before the shaft tapered off into a tip—was Xel's closed left hand. He had all of a split-second to register this before Caden's right _beskar-_armored elbow slammed into his nose, breaking it instantly and causing him to yell in pain. A strong hook to the Voss's right wrist made his fingers go limp and drop the artifact's hilt, allowing the saber to swing free. Xel kept his counterclockwise motion going, spinning 360 degrees and grabbing the blade with his right hand as well, slamming the hilt into Makar-Sei's left temple.

The Voss dropped to the ground with the artifact a second later, the black blade going inactive some fifteen feet away from him as Xel threw it away and recalled both blue lightsabers to his hands, the blades crossing on either side of a kneeling Makar-Sei's neck.

Breathing heavily, Xel spoke. "It's…over."

The Voss didn't acknowledge him, but instead kept his eyes closed for a few seconds before turning his head up and opening them. The violet in them was gone, replaced by his normal bright orange. "It is not," Makar said quietly, his voice far less booming and sinister. "Not yet." His eyes drifted to the inactive artifact, and Xel mistook this as hostile intention, so drew the blades a bit closer together. The former commander locked gazes with Caden. "You must end this. You must kill me."

"No," a pained voice said from some distance away, revealing that Alen had reawakened and managed to climb to his feet. "You've been separated from the artifact now, escaped its influence. Once we get you further away from this place, you'll be fine."

Makar-Sei frowned and shook his head. "No, I will not. Even now, I can feel him calling to me, whispering inside my head." He looked at the ground in shame. "He…played on my insecurities when I was assigned to keep his evil at bay, told me my failure as a Mystic was not my fault, but that of the other Mystics, who saw my power as a threat. In my mind, I knew he was wrong, but…my heart was not so resolute, and eventually…I gave in." Tears streamed from his eyes as they closed and his face twisted in pain. "So many dead…so many lost to my blade, to my hand…all because I wasn't strong enough."

Xel's resolve actually started to falter, and the blades drew further apart in response.

"I understand what you're feeling," Alen said as he slumped down to one knee in pain. "I do. _We_ do. But blaming yourself for his actions won't help you heal, and it won't bring your men back."

"I don't deserve to be healed, nor do I think that it's possible." Makar grimaced yet again and looked at each of them in turn, small flecks of violet swimming across his eyes. The blades drew closer again. "I must die, not only because I am guilty, but because I can no longer resist his influence, not for long."

"Then we'll get you away from here," Alen said desperately. "Far away, take you off Voss if we have to."

He shook his head mournfully. "I do not think I could be on the other side of the galaxy and not feel his presence in my head. Not anymore." He looked at the ground. "The damage…has already been done, and it is irreversible." His eyes met Xel's. "The Jedi does not understand…but I think you do, Mandalorian."

Caden's eyes narrowed.

"The choice…_my_ choice, to live or die, to flee or fight…is no longer mine."

Dark blue eyes widened. _He…he really _is_ just like me._ The thought chilled him.

"Xel, don't," Alen said, voice cracking as he no doubt tried to figure out a way to save Makar-Sei.

They both knew it was impossible. The artifact and the Sith Lord residing within had too much influence on Makar. He would be a danger to everyone around him, no matter where he went, and if he ever made his way to the Empire, he would be an impeccable Jedi hunter. Not only that, but when the Emperor discovered the existence of the Voss, he would no doubt either enslave them or bombard the planet into ash. The artifact could not be destroyed, so that left only one option.

"Please, Xel," Makar pleaded, hands raised slightly as he closed his eyes. "End my torment."

Caden's throat closed before he opened it with some effort and spoke. "As…you wish." He closed his eyes and turned his head away as his blade and Alen's drew together with a ringing hiss, two thumps following a moment later. A shuddering breath left his body as both lightsabers hissed off, his own returning to his belt as he clipped Alen's to the Jedi's belt.

Suddenly, a breeze seemed to pass over Xel, and a small, sinister whisper entered his consciousness. His eyes turned to the fallen artifact and stared at it, glaring hard as Alen sensed something happening. The Mando's head cocked to one side as his gaze held, his body turning to face it as well after a few seconds. Maybe it was the whispers, maybe the sudden rush of feelings and emotions from the events of the day. Maybe it was pride, or arrogance, or the need to prove something to himself. Maybe it was a morbid curiosity that surpassed all reason. Maybe it was all of the above.

Whatever the reason, Alen's weak yells of protest were drowned out and sent to the back corner of Xel's mind as he scowled and strode over to the artifact, reaching down with his right hand and wrapping his fingers around its metal surface.

Immediately, he felt the effects, a million thoughts rushing through his mind at once and carrying him to worlds he had never seen before. Battles raged in every corner of his mind, and all the hate and rage of a thousand lives burned in his heart. An overwhelming sense of fear rushed through him, and from fear was borne anger, and from anger rage, and from rage loathing. As the room around him faded into a mixture of dark red and black clouds, Xel turned toward the densest cluster of shadows, the clouds condensing into the figure of a man with no features, just burning violet eyes.

"Welcome, Xel Caden."

His eyes narrowed at that same booming, echoing voice. "Who are you?"

"My name is irrelevant, a relic of days long past and long forgotten, when this world was contested by ancient Jedi and Sith. As for _what_ I was, as I told your…" he cocked his head in thought, "brother, I believe?"

Xel scowled.

"Yes, as I told your brother, I was an instrument of death, sworn to serve my master until the end of my days. I slew a thousand Jedi in heated combat, only to be brought low and destroyed by trickery." A smile could be heard in his voice. "Ironic that your brother accuses the Sith of such things when the finger could be easily pointed right back at him."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want to walk the galaxy again. I want to leave this accursed world and return to the life that was so wrongly taken from me."

"Wrongly?" Xel hissed out his next words. "You're a murderer, and a psychopath."

He simply chuckled. "So judgemental considering your numerous failures, Xel Caden. The Gran, the Epicanthix. You too have tasted of the Dark Side's power. Why not embrace it entirely?"

A rush of sheer power flowed into Xel, and he closed his eyes, fighting against just how good it felt.

"Why do you resist? Is this not better than the life you had before? You thought you were strong by nature of your Mandalorian roots, but against one like Darth Vader, you were weak, helpless. I will give you the power to destroy him and save the ones you love…if you but serve me."

A shuddering breath left Caden as he stared at the object in his hand, closing his eyes a moment later. It would be so simple, so easy to slay his father's killer with this Sith at his back, giving him strength and power beyond anything he'd ever dreamed of. His Lightning would engulf and torture Vader. He would hear the Sith Lord scream in pain, as his mother no doubt did during her conversion. He would break every bone in his body, destroy him with his own power. He had wanted Xel to embrace his hatred and join with the Dark Side of the Force. How sweet it would be to show him the consequences of his wish?

How joyous would it be to finally be reunited with his mother, who would praise him for his defeat of their long-hated enemy? How much would he relish living as a king when he and his family confronted and destroyed the Emperor, taking his place themselves and becoming the absolute rulers of the Empire? How proud would he feel when the corrupt Imperial order was brought to heel by his clan and subjugated under the iron fist of their might? The depraved would have nowhere to hide, the corrupt nowhere to run. He would be the face of vengeance, the source of all order in the galaxy.

And he would break his last promise to Xander.

Dark eyes snapped open resolutely as his grip over the artifact clenched and mouth opened to utter his answer.

"No."

For the first time in millennia, the Sith was actually shocked, stunned into silence, but his fury returned barely a moment later, full-force and slamming into Caden. "You…_dare_ to defy _me_?!" he roared, the clouds around him sparking with bolts of violet lightning.

Xel simply raised an eyebrow. "Defy you?" He chuckled darkly. "What is there to defy? The angry rumblings of a spiteful child? The useless pull of 'ultimate power'?" He mimed quotation marks before scowling at the Sith. "News flash, _hut'uun_. I don't _want_ power. I never have. All I've ever wanted is to live freely, on _my_ terms." He jabbed a thumb into his chest. "I won't serve you for that, or anything, for that matter. I am nobody's slave." He smiled malevolently. "And certainly not that of a forgotten ghost."

"How dare you!"

Xel had the _audacity_ to actually look bored. "Rage all you want, but you have no power over me except what I give you." His fist clenched harder around the artifact. "And I'm not handing over a single inch."

"You will pay for this! I will—"

"You will do nothing but writhe in impotent rage, trapped in this saber, where no one will ever hear you again, for all eternity." Xel turned and started to walk away, stopping a few strides later and looking over his shoulder as he unclipped an empty hardcase from the back of his belt and placed the artifact inside. "And in time, you'll be nothing more than a bad memory…if that."

One final yell of defiance preceded the snap of the case's hinged lid shut, sealing the artifact away behind three layers of durasteel plating. The clouds vanished, and Xel was suddenly back in the throne room, surrounded by armed Voss commandos and being observed by all present, his injured brother, who was being tended to by a Mystic healer, included.

His chin tipped upward confidently as he clipped the hardcase to his belt, his voice ringing out clearly. "It's over. This thing—" he tapped the case, "—has no power here anymore."

"I can sense that he speaks the truth," a Voss said from behind the circle of commandos, stepping forward to reveal himself as one of the Three. "The darkness is contained, and our world is saved." He hesitated a moment before bowing low. "We cannot thank you enough."

Xel simply pursed his lips and nodded respectfully, adding after a few moments, "And what about our deal?"

The Voss inclined his head. "A bargain is a bargain. Our Mystics will do what they can."

Caden let out a sigh of relief and looked down. "Thank you."

…

3 hours later

Voss-Ka, Voss

As the entire world recovered from the damage done by the "Darksaber" and its inhabitant, the Three explained how things had turned out elsewhere. Jor-Le and his commandos had pierced the enemy's outer defenses and subdued a great number of affected soldiers without casualties, thanks to their diversion. Once the enemy caught on, however, the battle became a heated contest for supremacy over the rubble-littered ruins. At some point during the conflict, a Mystic present at the time of the assault informed the captain that something was amiss inside the stronghold's center, so he sent several teams to punch a hole through the Corrupted's battle lines and help them out. The Corrupted themselves had fought fanatically before becoming suddenly confused and disorganized, then ceasing all hostilities just minutes later—the exact moment Xel had slammed the cover of that hardcase shut. Despite the former Corrupted's near-universal despondency, the Three were optimistic about their full and speedy recoveries.

Alen's arm had been mostly healed by the time they returned to Voss-Ka, and the Three had spoken to the both of them about the results of their Mystics' visions. Apparently, one of them recognized the world she was on as Belsavis, an ice world mostly uninhabited due to its extreme climate with only a token force of Imperials. Xel had thanked them for the intelligence and submitted to the Mystics' offer of healing at his brother's behest. Now, they were on their way back to the _Kandosii'tal_, the first traces of light coming on the horizon as dawn approached. The Three, much to the brothers' surprise, had insisted on accompanying them to their ship and seeing them off personally.

As Xel stood on the lowered entry ramp, he turned at the voice of one.

"We can never truly repay the debt we owe you."

The female spoke up. "As such, if you ever find yourself in need of sanctuary, consider Voss free and open for you both."

"Thank you," Xel said with a nod.

"Thank you, honored ones," Alen added.

The Voss that had stood in the center of their platform the previous night spoke up. "We…underestimated you, offworlders. You in particular." He pointed a long, thin finger at Xel.

The Mando's eyebrows raised and he pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Yes," the blue-eyed male said. "You did what no one else had done, or perhaps could have done. You resisted the power of the Darksaber and the rewards it offered you, resisted its corruption."

"It…wasn't easy," Xel admitted hesitantly, looking away.

"We are sure it wasn't. Regardless, you have proven yourself quite…resilient against the lure of the Dark Side. We can only hope that your determination holds in the days to come." The central Voss's expression darkened as if there were more to his statement that he was holding back.

Alen and Xel exchanged a look and knew they had the same thought.

"Thank you for your help," Alen said, bowing slightly. "We may never have found her without you."

The Three bowed in respect before speaking as one. "Go now with the blessing of the Three, honored guests. May the Force be with you and ever light your path in the midst of darkness, as you have ours." They bowed once more and left, the _Kandosii'tal _lifting off a few minutes later.

Xel took the ship into a steep climb, taking them into the void of space not long after, a dark feeling in his gut. He looked down at the hardcase at his belt and scowled at it.

"So what are we doing with that thing?"

Caden turned toward the copilot's seat and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You don't _really_ want that thing to stay here, do you?"

Dark blue eyes turned toward the hardcase as he frowned again. "No, I don't. Damn thing creeps me the hell out."

"But how to deal with it…we can't destroy it, and we can't give it to anyone else." Alen threw his hands up and scoffed. "And it's not as if we can jettison the damn thing into space. Someone could find it, and trust me, stuff like this—" he nodded at the case, "—always finds a way of getting found."

"True," Xel answered quietly, staring at it and feeling its limited effects in the Force. Its power was an echo of what he had felt before, but he could still feel the thick darkness radiating off it, just like Vader and Makar-Sei. That same feeling of a black hole. Xel blinked twice, eyes widening. _A black hole…now _there's_ an idea._ A small, conspiratorial smirk came to his face as he turned his attention to the nav computer. "Tell me, Alen. Have you ever heard of Kessel?"

The Jedi scoffed. "I don't there's a soul in this _galaxy_ that hasn't heard of Kessel."

"And do you know what it neighbors?"

Alen narrowed his eyes in confusion before widening them in realization. "The Maw."

Xel smiled wider. "Exactly." He pulled the hyperdrive lever, rocketing them into hyperspace and sending them toward the Imperials' favorite prison world.

…

The Maw

The Maw. A tear in the fabric of space and time. Or, rather, a whole bunch of 'em. The Maw was Kessel's defining feature, a cluster of black holes in close proximity to one another. It was also the perfect garbage chute. As Alen watched Xel pack the hardcase containing the Darksaber into a larger durasteel crate and load it into the ship's airlock, he couldn't help but smile at his brother's ingenuity.

"Like I said," Xel said with a smile, looking at the hardcase and holding the crate's lid in his hand, "no more than a bad memory." He snorted, his smirk growing wider. "If that."

The moment before the lid slammed closed, Alen could've sworn he heard a roar of rage coming from that hardcase.

Xel sighed as he closed the airlock door, sealing them off from it. "You know, after we get Mom back…" He sighed harder and slumped against the wall. "I need a vacation."

Alen grinned and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "You and me both…_vod_."

Xel smiled widely and let his hand hover over the hatch release switch, eyes on the crate. "And to _you_ I say, _usen'ye gar di'kutla hut'uun_." His open palm slammed on the button, ejecting the crate into space and the very center of the Maw, where the intense forces of gravity would either destroy or imprison it forever.

Xel sneered at the impossibly dark blots visible through the airlock's window. _Good riddance._

* * *

AN: Next week's entry is something of a season finale. Though I _have_ written a lot more than is released, I'm kinda losing steam where producing more is concerned, so I decided to leave you guys off at one of the story's many turning points. As I said, next week is the "season one" finale of _Star Wars: Kandosii'tal_

Musical Inspirations:_  
_

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - Malachor V and Trayus Core: Alen's conversation with Makar-Sei to "You and what army?"

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The Last Confrontation: "family always comes first" to Xel's dodge and disarm

Star Wars: the Phantom Menace - The Tide Turns/The Death of Darth Maul: 2:20-3:02—Makar's pleading and death, 3:02-end—the hardcase slams shut-"We cannot thank you enough"


	22. Xel's Fury Unchained

Xel smiled widely and let his hand hover over the hatch release switch, eyes on the crate. "And to _you_ I say, _usen'ye gar di'kutla hut'uun_." His open palm slammed on the button, ejecting the crate into space and the very center of the Maw, where the intense forces of gravity would either destroy or imprison it forever.

Xel sneered at the impossibly dark blots visible through the airlock's window. _Good riddance._

…

5 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal, deep space near Kessel

8 months BBY

Caden seated himself at the pilot's station, heart pounding just a bit as he activated the nav computer and found Belsavis, programming the hyperspace coordinates and waiting for the computer to finish its calculations.

"We're going straight?" Alen asked from behind him, a slight frown on his face.

Xel looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Was there ever another option?"

The young Jedi pursed his lips. "Well, yes. We make a short stop along the way."

A black eyebrow raised. "And where would we be stopping?"

Alen crossed his arms defensively, and Xel knew he wasn't gonna like this. "Nar Shaddaa."

Surprise registered before it quickly turned to suspicion and slight anger. "I told you before," he almost hissed out, "this isn't a mission for _auretiise_."

"Yeah," Alen responded almost chidingly, "you said that before we went to Raydonia, and we both know how that turned out." The flare of anger from his brother kept him talking. "I'm not saying it's your fault, because I know better. The fact is that we were caught off-guard by those fighters and had to split up, but…" He bit his lower lip. "If Iola's gonna be a part of my crew long-term, and she will be, she's gonna have to learn our secret sooner or later. Might as well be sooner. You decided Maila was trustworthy enough to share our family's secret after just a few days in her presence, and I've been training in how to read people with the Force a lot longer than you."

Xel still didn't look convinced.

Alen sighed in exasperation. "Look at it this way. If we have to split up again, would you really be that far opposed to having an extra pair of hands? Or eyes?"

The Mando's expression darkened slightly, but he shook his head.

"That's what I thought." Alen didn't sound smug or judgemental, just understanding.

Xel was grateful for it.

Li-am amended the nav coordinates, programming a stop along the way and waiting for the nav to turn blue before engaging the hyperdrive.

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

Xel sighed heavily as he leaned back in his seat. "Alen?"

"Yeah?"

"It's gonna take you some time to find her. You'll probably have to talk to Maila, find out where she sent her. It's been a few days, almost a week by now, so she'll no doubt have put her to work. If she's as valuable as you think, Iola'll be on some pretty important tasks."

Alen's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you trying to say?"

Xel exhaled slowly, his eyes firmly on the controls. "I'm saying that I won't be sticking around to help."

Li-am gasped slightly. "You're going in…alone?"

"Woah, no. No-no-no, of course not. I'll be scouting out the prison, making sure we know how to make our entry when you arrive."

"Oh. Okay. That…makes sense, I guess."

"What?"

"Just tell me you're not gonna do anything stupid."

Xel gave him an incredulous look. "Since when have you known me to be stupid?"

Alen raised his hands placatingly and smirked. "I'm just saying."

Caden scoffed and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and sighing.

"You should get some sleep if you're planning on scouting. Won't do us any good for you to get spotted while gathering intel."

Xel nodded drowsily and slowly got to his feet. "Right. Let me know when we're there."

"Will do."

…

Nar Shaddaa

"By the time you get there, I should have every inch of the place mapped out."

Alen smiled. "Got it. I'll contact you when we're on our way."

"Roger. Good luck—sorry, may the Force be with you."

His brother's smile grew wider as he bowed and turned to enter Maila's building, the _Kandosii'tal's _entrance ramp raising and separating them as Xel settled behind the controls. A chuckling voice came over their Bond a moment after he activated the ship's repulsorlifts.

_"You sure you don't wanna say hello?"_

Xel just rolled his eyes and shook his head at his brother's teasing tone, sending feelings of annoyance over the Bond. All he got was another laugh in return. The engines of the Kuat Heavy Striker shot him into space, the ship's nav computer locking onto Belsavis and hyperdrive rocketing him toward his destination.

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

Xel sighed as his heavy eyelids drooped once again, swiping a hand over his face as he sluggishly got up and headed back to his bunk. He'd gotten maybe two hours of solid sleep on the way over to Nar Shaddaa, the rest of it fitful and hardly qualifying as "rest." Much as he hated to admit it, his older brother was right sometimes, and being as exhausted as he was was most certainly going to make him a liability on this mission. He stripped off his armor piece by piece, the metal for once seeming more like a prison than a protective shell. The moment his body suit-clad body hit the mattress, he fell into a half-conscious state, the ship's dull hum fading into the furthest corners of his subconscious as another, far louder noise filled his mind.

The scream that split the darkness preceded the arrival of a second pair of eyes, gazing out at what looked, at a glance, like the inside of a medical bay. Xel, however, had seen enough Imperial bases to know it was the furthest from. The interrogation droid at "his" right just confirmed this. The body these eyes belonged to shrieked again as pain ran through it, the intense sensation dulled to a mere sting from Caden's viewpoint, but the all-too-familiar voice of that shriek sent an equally savage jolt through him. When a hooded figure stepped into view, rage started to build within him, especially when the man crossed his arms and nodded to the droid. Wave after wave of agony rippled through the subject as she was subjected to the worst interrogation techniques the Empire had to offer—only they weren't asking her any questions.

Xel knew they wouldn't. He knew the true purpose of this "exercise," and couldn't stop the wave of nausea and immense loathing that rose within him before the eyes closed and the vision left. His own eyes snapped open a moment later, and he rushed into the cockpit to check his position. _Still too far for my liking._ He carded a hand through his hair and slumped into the pilot's seat, breathing labored as his head fell into his hands. _I have to stop them._ He chided himself. We_ have to stop them._ He reached toward a datapad and pulled up a file he'd resolutely avoided, a holo of the three of them on Obroa-skai. _I can't lose her again._

Personal holos weren't something he typically carried around. They were a liability when it came to his family. If they were found, they would automatically connect him to whoever was in the picture, and anonymity was their only true defense against being hunted. When he'd found this one in his personal datapad, however, an image of them on a snowy day, right after he'd been Force Thrown into a snow bank by his uncharacteristically petulant brother, laughing and smiling…he hadn't had the heart to delete it. He still didn't. Unbidden, his eyes stung, and he closed them resolutely, scowling slightly as he blocked out those familiar sensations.

He would not break. He would not stop. He couldn't. He owed her, owed them both. He couldn't fail again. He would bring her back, no matter the cost, and if the time came and he had to do it alone…so be it.

…

Nar Shaddaa

"Maila," Alen greeted with a smile, embracing her as they gave each other a friendly peck on the cheek.

"Always a pleasure, Alen. Please, sit." She motioned to a nearby chair and watched him as they both sat. "So what can I do for you?"

"You remember Iola Voss?"

The Zeltron's ice blue eyes flashed amusement and mirth, their color complemented by the deep red dress she was wearing. "Hard to forget, really. She's a valued employee of mine. Very resourceful." She dragged an index over an engraved plate on her desk. "I understand she came with your recommendation."

Alen smirked. "Glad to see it's paying off."

Maila looked away and smiled gently. "You're taking her, aren't you?"

"Alas," the Jedi sighed, "this isn't a social call, for either of you. She _is_ a part of my crew, and I need her for an important mission."

"Let me guess, you found whoever you were looking for?"

Alen bit his lower lip and nodded.

"Say no more," she said, raising a hand to cut him off. "I don't need to know details, and frankly I don't _want_ to know. Your business is your own."

He nodded with a thankful smile. "So when can I retrieve her?"

The woman glanced at her wrist chrono. "Should be here in five or so. It was an easy job," she explained.

Alen nodded and closed his eyes, leaning forward as his hands clasped loosely.

"Alen?"

Ice blue met ice blue. "Yes?"

She looked hesitant. "Where's your brother?"

Alen sighed softly. "He went ahead to case our target's location, make sure we know all the ins and outs before going in to get her."

"And by get, do you mean capture or rescue?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Thought you said you didn't want details."

She chuckled softly. "Sorry. You both have a knack for making me curious, it seems."

"Clearly." He crossed his arms and stayed silent a while. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Are you and Xel still…you know…talking?"

Her face was unreadable.

"Because I know he resolutely refuses to see you. I just wanted to know if he spoke to you at all, or even sent messages."

Her eyes lidded halfway. "Why do you ask?"

Alen shrugged with a sigh. "I don't know. He's just been so…cold lately. He's distant, even for him."

"Well, you're not the only one that's noticed."

He raised an eyebrow and made eye contact with her. "So he _hasn't_ talked to you."

"Not for months, no. At least, not in a social way. It's all business with him." She smirked slightly. "He _is_ taking me up on my offer…I'd just hoped he'd use both sides equally."

Amusement and curiosity struck the Jedi. "Yeah, what _is_ that offer I keep hearing about? Xel refuses to say anything except it's something you told him on his first job."

She smiled gently, turning her eyes away as mirth and something he couldn't identify filled them. "I told him that if he was ever on Nar Shaddaa again, I would have business for him—" she met his eyes, "—and pleasure, if he so desired."

"Oh," Alen said quietly, his eyes widening. "_Oh._ Wow. So, when he came here six months ago—"

"Nothing happened," she interrupted. "Nothing like _that_ anyway."

"So…what _did_ happen?"

She shrugged noncommittally. "We kissed. Cuddled. Slept in each other's arms. Explored each other a bit. Nothing fancy, and nothing like how I envisioned that night turning out."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

Maila sighed gently and smiled. "Because he wasn't fully committed to me." Her eyes met his. "It's a Mando thing, I'm told." She leaned back in her seat and clasped her hands over her chest. "Frankly, I think it's adorable how much of a hopeless romantic he is."

Alen sputtered and choked on nothing before breaking out in side-stitching laughter, the Zeltron chuckling along with him.

"Laugh all you want," she chuckled. "It's true. For all his street smarts and bitterness, when it comes to women, he's hopelessly idealistic."

"Wow," Alen managed between laughs, laughing harder as he pictured Xel proposing on one knee. Tears actually streamed out of his eyes, and he realized he hadn't laughed this hard in a long, long time. _Not since Obroa-skai._ Pushing that to the far corners of his mind, he managed to get a hold of himself, still grinning. "I just…" He swiped a hand over his eyes. "I can't make the connection. It just seems so uncharacteristic of him."

"That's 'cause you haven't seen him around a woman he actually cares about. Like…_that_, anyway."

He chuckled again and nodded. "Right."

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

Both of them turned toward the open door, Alen smiling warmly as he spotted Iola standing in the doorway.

"Not at all," Maila answered. "In fact, you're right on time." She rose from her seat and approached the girl. "Do you have it?"

Iola smirked and rolled her eyes as she pulled a bag off her shoulder. "Really, boss, was there ever any doubt?"

Maila grinned and took it. "Nope." She walked behind her desk and opened a drawer, tucking the bag inside.

"So why is _he _here?" Iola asked with a nod at Alen.

The youth in question stood up and approached her. "I'm here to retrieve you. We've got a job."

Her sky blue eyes brightened. "Awesome. Haven't gotten to work with you for a while." She gave Maila a conspiratorial wink, to which the woman just chuckled, leaving Alen hopelessly confused. "Let's go, flyboy." Iola practically dragged him out the door, giving her boss a wave as she guided them to the landing pad.

"Why do I get the feeling that my ears have been burning for the last week without me knowing?"

She flashed a cheeky smile but kept silent as they boarded the T-6 Shuttle and made their way to the cockpit. "Hope you don't mind, but I optimized the ship to suit my preferences. Well, the crew quarters anyway." Iola tapped a few keys on the pilot's dashboard. "And I found a way to increase your sublight engines' vector thrust by 10%. Outdated inertial dampener was limiting your options."

Alen's jaw dropped a bit. "O…kay. I think I made the right decision."

Iola smiled cheekily again and dropped herself into the copilot's seat as Alen sat in the captain's chair.

"Here goes," Alen muttered as he brought the ship into a climb, noticing the increase in thrust and decrease in roughness as he accelerated. A small smile came to his face, causing Iola to giggle a little as they entered space, Alen programming their destination. "Standby…prepare for lightspeed."

They shot off a moment later.

…

The Kandosii'tal, orbit over Belsavis

Caden frowned at the world below him, spinning slowly in all its pale white glory. _The Three weren't exactly specific about where this prison is._ He activated a series of scanners on his ship, orbiting the planet to optimize his readings as he waited for any traces of electronics or life. He blinked rapidly as another thought occurred to him. When he'd faced Telia on Raydonia a week ago and snapped her out of that anger-induced haze, her Bond had been partially reopened, not so much that they could feel each other across the galaxy, but maybe, at this distance…

Dark blue eyes fluttered shut as he reached out to that third strand, expecting, as had happened every time previous, to find himself confronted by a solid black wall. Instead, his heart took a leap when a small hum went through his head, neither good nor bad. He focused all his energies on it, pouring his heart and soul into that hum and waiting as it started to become clearer, if only a little. With that clarity came connection, and with that connection came direction, general but still specific enough to narrow his search. He quickly adjusted his scanners and angled the ship to give them greater focus on the area in question. Five minutes later, a satisfying series of beeps alerted him to electronic and life signatures on the planet's surface.

Xel smirked as he brought the ship into a shallow dive, reentry barely phasing him as his smile faded, remembering all too clearly the vision he'd had. He thumbed on the holoprojector at his right, summoning his messages and finding the single text from Alen informing him of their departure. His teeth gritted. _He'd better get here soon,_ he thought as he spotted the prison complex and set his ship down on a neighboring mountain, a fairly sizable blizzard obscuring his ship from view and likely scanners as well. He donned his armor and stepped outside, going prone as he spied out the facility with macrobinoculars, settling in for a long wait and long reconnaissance as his thoughts repeated.

_He'd sure as _haran_ better get here soon._

…

T-6 Shuttle, hyperspace

"So, what's the job?"

And with that, Alen's earlier amusement faded. _Here we go,_ he thought as he turned in his seat to face her. "Iola…before I explain that, there's something you need to know about me. About…both of us, really." He gulped and continued, eyes down. "You see, I'm—"

"A Jedi."

His eyes widened and met hers, jaw dropping. "How did—oh wait, Maila told you, didn't she?"

Iola giggled childishly. "Actually, she was surprisingly reticent." She motioned to his left hip. "You don't exactly hide that thing as well as you think you do. At least, not to me." She smirked at the color that filled his cheeks. "And since you're so _obviously_ not bounty hunter material, it must be yours."

"Right," Alen muttered, looking away before his eyebrows furrowed and his head snapped to her again. "Wait, how am I _so obviously_ not a hunter?"

That giggle again. "You're too…refined." Her smile warmed and became gentle. "And compassionate."

Alen looked away, smiling slightly.

"Now your brother, on the other hand, well…" She laughed. "He's just all _kinds_ of rough."

"You have no idea," Alen muttered, looking at the nav computer and willing their ship to go faster.

Even without their Bond, he could sense his brother's patience growing thin.

…

Belsavis

_Osik!_ Xel pressed himself against a snow back firmly, willing the patrol not to spot him as he waited for them to pass. He'd had his Force Sense so completely focused on the wall of the prison, looking for guard patterns and any gaps, he'd completely forgotten to mind his own position. If he was discovered now, Telia would be moved before he could get anywhere close and they would be back to square one. Debt or no debt, he doubted the Mystics would be so eager to look again. _Cynical fool,_ he chided, shaking his head as he felt the stormtroopers pass, no one the wiser to the heavily armed Mandalorian lying in wait.

Sighing, he returned to his reconnaissance, 80% of the prison already mapped out based on datapads he retrieved from roving officers as well as his own observations, and it had taken him little more than twelve hours. Just a bit more intel was needed before they were fully prepared for their rescue mission. He couldn't wait. He honestly couldn't.

…

T-6 Shuttle, hyperspace

_Come on, dammit. Why won't this bucket go any faster?_ Alen scowled at the nav computer, showing them two-thirds of the way to Belsavis. Despite the fact that nothing tangible spoke to enforce this, he couldn't suppress the niggling fear creeping into his heart, the one that told him something would happen if he didn't get there soon.

"Stop worrying," Iola said once again, having been filled in on the specifics of their mission over the course of the trip. At some point, her hand had found its way to his right forearm and hadn't left for over twenty minutes.

He hadn't even noticed. "Sorry. Can't help it." He blew out a breath and ran his left hand through his hair. "Despite all my Jedi training, I've never been very good at dealing with uncertainty. I get anxious and worried and…" He sighed and breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself down and using the Force to help. "We need to get there. We just need to get there." He frowned at the nav computer. "I have a bad feeling about this."

…

Belsavis

_Forget. _Forget_, you miserable shabuir!_ Xel had his palm on the forehead of a de-helmeted snowtrooper who'd had the misfortune to spot him and been Constricted a moment later, and was now trying to wipe the blonde man's memory of any traces of him. Thus far, it wasn't working. Breathing in deeply, he released the breath slowly and calmed himself, understanding that wiping memories was different from crushing a man's windpipe and required calm focus rather than anger. With some difficulty, the last five minutes were eradicated from the man's mind, and his helmet went back on as Xel rolled him onto the road, dropping his rifle next to his unconscious body.

Xel sighed heavily, letting his heart rate slow as he put his back to a rock wall, hiding himself from view. _Crisis averted. _He peeked around the corner as the snowtrooper regained consciousness and looked around for a bit before moving on. _Barely._ Making his way back to the ship, he dumped his helmet unceremoniously on the armory deck, slumping into a chair and carding a hand through his hair.

"_Shab_," he breathed out as exhaustion filled him, his body sluggishly picking up the helmet and moving him to his room before checking for any messages. He scowled when he found his inbox empty, falling backward onto the bed and feeling the slight chill of despair fall upon him. _Come on, _vod_. We need to get in there _now_._ His eyes closed as he forced himself to sleep, arms crossing as his head laid back against his pillow.

He had feared sleep ever since landing, refusing to do so for the day he'd been on Belsavis because of his visions. They were real, and they were terrifying, because he could feel her rational mind slipping away once again. Much as he wanted to avoid it, however, he _needed_ to sleep, so submitted to the blackness with a scowl. The black didn't last long, but as usual, the first sense to be hijacked was his hearing, and it wasn't at all what he'd expected.

_Snap-hiss_.

The second pair of eyes snapped open, showing Xel a pair of stormtroopers who turned toward "him" with raised weapons before being cut down by a green blade. The shaft spun repeatedly, batting away several fired bolts from other targets before it deactivated as its owner found cover. Xel's heart pounded as, unbidden, hope rushed through his system. _She's fighting back!_ Then a voice sounded in his head, and he completely froze.

_"Xel?"_

It was the same gentle tone he'd come to love and cherish over the course of months, the same one he'd found in a broken state just one week ago. It sounded unsure but strong and determined. Something had changed from the last time they met. The anger was still there, he could feel that clearly, but it was no longer directed at her. The more he felt of her state of mind, the more he saw the cloud that had fallen over her soul before they'd met on Raydonia. His breath caught as he realized the full truth.

_"I…opened your eyes."_

Her only response was a warm feeling he had been afraid to accept, afraid to ever feel again because he knew it could be taken from him at any moment. Xel clenched both hands around it now, wrapping his arms, his entire being around that feeling. He had preached and debated about the wrongness of emotional suppression, and there he had been, doing just that, and hurting both himself and his brother in the process. He could almost feel her hand being pressed against his cheek and longed to feel it in person when he felt in vanish much too sharply, replaced with an overwhelming sense of fear. His focus returned to her vision and heart hammered in his chest as he saw the source of her newfound terror.

In the moment after his crimson lightsaber hissed to life, his Jedi mother facing off with this Imperial agent, the moment before her vision winked out of existence and his own returned, eyes snapping wide open, he knew he could wait no longer. Jedi had no fear, and even when they'd faced Vader and Telia realized she absolutely _could not_ win, he had never sensed the kind of blood-chilling terror she felt now. His armor was realigned and helmet retrieved as he did a rapid weapons check, not bothering to grab anything heavier in his haste to get to the prison. He had to reach her _now_.

As he reached the exit ramp, he paused at the bottom, helmet tucked under one arm as he reached out to his brother in the Force.

_"I can't wait any longer, _vod_." _His eyes closed and he let out a close-mouthed sigh. _"Forgive me."_

His helmet went on and legs pumped at a mad pace as he sprinted toward the facility, Force Speed giving him impossible acceleration as his desperate rescue mission commenced.

…

T-6 Shuttle, hyperspace

Alen's eyes were shut, his body half-unconscious and slumped in the pilot's seat when two words drifted through his mind in a whisper.

_"Forgive me."_

Ice blue eyes snapped wide open as a half-dozen emotions hit him, most of them not his. "We need to get there," he said sharply, his entire form suddenly tense. "We need to get there _now_."

Iola blinked at his sudden change of manner. He had clearly been worried before, but now he was practically radiating anxiety. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Remember what I told you about me and Xel, how we share a Bond in the Force?"

She nodded.

"It just lit up, and something is very, very wrong."

Iola checked the nav computer and a smile flickered across her features. "Well, good news. We're here."

The ship dropped out of hyperspace a moment later, the icy globe of Belsavis hovering outside their viewscreen. Alen feverishly worked over the controls, bringing them into a steep dive that brought them in-atmosphere a little too fast for Iola's liking. A quick glance at the pilot turned into a long, eyebrow-furrowed stare. It wasn't just anxiety, it was desperation. Despite not having anything visible or tangible to guide him, Alen zeroed in on one specific region of the planet, revealing a large complex in the mountains, surrounded by high winds and ice storms. Expecting to be shot at as soon as he got within range, the Jedi activated the shuttle's laser cannons, but furrowed his brows in confusion a few moments later.

"There's…no one on those guns. No one controlling them."

It was beyond strange, but there was no sense of malevolence or hostility…at least, not directed at them. It was like they couldn't even tell the ship was there, or maybe they just weren't looking. Alen exchanged a look with Iola before bringing the ship into a landing procedure, taking an exposed landing pad and setting down just out of range of those cannons, in case they decided to power up at some point.

"Come on," Alen shouted as he sprinted down the exit ramp, almost jumping at the cold before finding his center in the Force.

Iola was not so fortunate or distracted, so she made sure to grab an extra layer before joining him.

"There's the entrance," Alen said, pointing at a large door two stories down. He pulled a grappling hook from his utility belt and plugged the sharp end into the pad's metal surface, holding out a hand for Iola as they rappelled to ground level. His drawn hood masked his features, but the worry was still there in full, especially when they approached the door—which looked like it had been caved in from the outside.

"What the hell?"

Alen looked where Iola was, coming out of his anxiety-induced haze to truly observe his environment. Ice blue eyes widened as he crouched by the charred bodies of three snowtroopers, two others slumped over against a wall, burning holes in both their chests. "Xel," he said quietly. His eyes closed as he reached out to the Force, his Bond with Xel all but closed off and preventing him from tracking his location. He had other ways of doing so, however. His mind reached out, trace feelings of fear, anger, and pure unadulterated rage flitting through it like ghosts as his mind's eye began to show the exact same location just a few minutes earlier.

…

3 minutes earlier

Imperial complex, Belsavis

_Snap-hiss_.

The snowtrooper hadn't stood a chance, and neither did his two comrades, who had both made the mistake of approaching him at point-blank range. The center man had a burning hole in his chest the moment after they closed the distance, and before the other two could fire, Xel had yanked the blade free and slashed both of them in the chest with diagonal strikes, one upward, the other downward. Two other sentries charged at him from opposite sides, one of them trying to unjam his weapon, which had malfunctioned in the cold, the other pouring rapid shots in his direction. His sapphire blade became a blur as he spun the sword repeatedly, putting a wall of light between him and the crimson bolts as they reflected off with a whine.

Immediately after the spin, Caden thrust his hand out, pinning the soldier against a wall with the Force, then Throwing him into the other snowtrooper, their bodies stacked against another wall as he threw his lightsaber, the shaft stabbing through them both then returning to his hand as he thumbed it off and returned it to a clip on the right side of his belt, not bothering to put it in the hardcase. He would, after all, need it again very, very soon.

…

Alen followed his brother's steps, eyes still closed as he watched the Mandalorian stride inside, calm by all appearances but inside a raging tempest of anger that just kept building to a fever pitch. Iola felt left out, he could tell, but didn't question him as she drew her blaster and he his lightsaber. As they made their way through the halls, Alen couldn't help but notice that the feelings kept getting stronger, especially as he went through the door in front of him. His vision of Xel mixed with over a dozen stormtroopers, all of them raising weapons as a malevolent smile made its way onto his brother's face.

…

3 minutes earlier

_Pathetic _shabuire_._

Xel smiled nastily behind his faceplate, hate, anger, and a slew of other emotions flowing through him as he channeled it all into his connection to the Force. Once again, two troopers approached him closely and reached for his blasters, completely missing the cylinder that had found its way into his hand. The Mando spun as they got within range, the ring of his blade splitting the quiet air as he made a 360 degree turn, beheading both troopers and deflected a dozen blaster bolts within the space of four seconds, rushing toward the firing line as they scattered and cutting down two before they got the chance to dive out of the way.

His blade whirred and hummed with deadly intent as he lopped the firing arm off another, almost lazily twirling his lightsaber up and back into position four, reflecting a bolt headed for his jetpack into its sender. The rest of the squad fell in a matter of seconds as he reflected another bolt, firing his left pistol with his empty hand, cutting down two more with headshots as he holstered the pistol and Force Choked another before Throwing him into a pair of troopers, throwing his lightsaber and slicing through the three of them before the blade returned to his hand.

A _snap-hiss_ filled his ears through the helmet, and he scowled as his head turned in its direction, spotting a red-clad Imperial Royal Guard holding a lightsaber pike and flanked by four shadowtroopers, black-armored assassins toting long, saber-resistant vibroblades. His upper lip curled into a snarl as his legs propelled him toward them, roar building in his throat as he unleashed his fury on them, spinning his entire body in a diagonal strike that slammed into the guard of a shadowtrooper.

…

Alen kept moving, following his brother's latent Force signature through the large room and into a long hall, watching as he expertly cut down one shadowtrooper with a feint and pivot before engaging his other four opponents with some difficulty, the rage building within him before he released it in a Force Repulse, the first time he had ever seen him use the power. The Mando sprinted into another room, more open than the last, and faced off with them, falling into a half-crouch as he raised his saber hilt to his side, the blade pointed horizontally toward his opponents as he adopted a two-handed grip.

"Oh stars."

The Jedi's eyes snapped open at the breathed comment by Iola, releasing his connection to this place's latent Force energies to stare wide-eyed at the room around him. Tan duracrete debris was scattered across the room from craters in the walls and chunks that looked like they had been torn out with brute force. Four bodies littered the ground, all of them peppered with the blackened char-marks of a lightsaber.

…

Xel spun again and again, constantly shifting his blade's position as he utilized several Sarlacc Sweeps, slashing at the neck level of a shadowtrooper and barely missing before turning his blade underhandedly and stabbing back into one that rushed forward, the blade shooting out to block a blow from the one he'd just been fighting as the Royal Guard lunged toward his side. Xel Force Pushed him away as the last two shadowtroopers engaged him at once, spinning counterclockwise around a stab to plunge his blade into the assassin's abdomen, then yanking the blade free and spinning in the other direction, cutting a deep line across the lower chest of the last trooper in one fluid, rage-driven motion.

His head shifted to the side, spotting the Royal Guard standing some fifteen feet away, stance wholly defensive. He smirked, then snarled as he leapt into the air, closing the distance and coming down in a Falling Avalanche, blade slamming against the Guard's as he pushed him back step by step, locking blades to shove him back further. The Guard made one last-ditch attempt to win when he feinted a lunge at his chest. Xel purposefully intercepted the feint before it got halfway to him, knocking the red blade to the side and robbing his following blunt strike of its force. His empty hand caught the rear end of the lightsaber pike and his body spun clockwise to slam an elbow into his helmet, shoving him back and off-balance as the weapon slipped from his grasp.

Xel immediately kept moving and used the long metal shaft of the pike to sweep out his legs before raising both light-weapons and roaring as he brought them down hard, two deep lines cutting through his chest and neck before the pike fell to the ground and both blades deactivated.

…

Alen didn't need to use Force Sight anymore. Xel's anger was almost palpable no matter where he went, and even if it hadn't been, the trail of bodies was easy enough to follow. One room after the next was filled with corpses, either white or gray-clad with the armor of stormtroopers or the posh uniforms of Imperial officers. Alen nearly stopped in his tracks when he felt that anger turn to fear, then started when both his Bonds opened fully, the sheer terror coming from Xel again sparking the desperation in his older brother. The Jedi sprinted through one hall after the next, fear overwhelming him and dulling his senses. His sight became tunnel vision and everything except his efforts to trace Xel's location in the Force halted.

Iola barely managed to keep up, breathing heavily as he finally reached his destination, a small but well-stocked hangar. She stopped in her tracks a moment after Alen did, jaw dropping slightly as she saw the cause of his halt.

Alen's ice blue eyes went as wide as they could as he stared at Xel's back, mind barely registering the whimpering words coming from his brother's mouth and the discarded helmet on the floor as he cradled their mother in his arms. Her brown eyes searched Xel's face as her mouth tipped up into a slight, heartbreaking smile, those same orbs shifting to Alen as he felt her emotions over their Bond. There was love and satisfaction, relief and gratitude at seeing them both. His entire being froze as he felt the sadness, the regret. She wasn't grateful because they had saved her. She was grateful because they tried.

Her smile grew a little wider, none of them saying a word though the messages spoken by their emotions in the Force were as loud as orbital bombardment. Alen's body began to shake as he saw the way her eyes glazed over, eyes turning from hers with effort to see the burning hole in her chest, heart stopping as he realized the truth. Both brothers looked into her eyes, pleading, begging in their own ways that this be just a dream. When the light went out of her eyes, they knew for sure it wasn't.

Dreams never hurt this damn much.

Alen's heart stopped for barely a moment, but his breathing halted for a much longer time as his right hand clamped onto the space over his heart, his knees buckling and giving way as they hit the ground, his free hand shaking even as it braced his body and kept him from falling further. No words came to his mind or his lips. There was no peace, there was no knowledge, there was no serenity, there was no harmony…and what now stared him in the face was most certainly death. His lungs burned as he turned his eyes away, reminding himself to breathe. Air wheezed into his lungs as he forced them to work just a few moments later.

With oxygen came clarity, and with clarity all his senses in the space of a split-second. The ones that told him he could very well be having a heart attack. The ones that left him feeling empty and severed from a life-giving soul he had relied on and loved for so long. The ones that told him he was shaking like a skyscraper ready to fall. The ones that told him Xel was doing the exact same thing…and the other one that told him it was for a different reason. Three of his senses lit up as he felt a small duracrete obelisk his left hand had fallen on begin to splinter and crumble. His eyes lifted to Xel as he watched the shaking of his body rise to a fever pitch, stretching out to him with the Force only to recoil at what he felt.

More duracrete—and metal—objects around the room started to bend, collapse, and break as an animalistic roar built in Xel's chest, releasing into the open air as he dragged it out, head rearing up as he unleashed his fury and grief, chunks of the walls and ceiling falling and smashing against the ground as Iola shrunk back in fear and Alen could do nothing but watch. When Xel finally had no air left, he gasped in another breath, heaving in oxygen as he swiped his left hand over Telia's eyes, closing them as he laid her body down with reverence, rising to his feet slowly as a metal cylinder rose with him, floating and spinning through the air on his left before he turned and snatched it in his right hand, a _snap-hiss_ filling the air as Telia's lightsaber activated.

Xel stared into the blade for several seconds, an insatiable fire alight in his dark blue eyes as he scowled into the shaft. Alen stared at him, almost timidly reaching out with the Force as he braced himself, shuddering as he felt the full force of Caden's hatred, mind flashing back to his conversation with Telia months ago.

_"How could I not have seen this?"_

_ "Seen what?"_

_ "Vader."_

Alen sluggishly rose to his feet as he stared at his brother, feeling and understanding for the first time why Telia had wanted to halt his training. He could feel the darkness inside him, feel it expanding and feeding off his rage. It wasn't the same black hole as Darth Vader or the Darksaber, but even with his limited experience with the Dark Side, he knew it could easily become that. _He_ could easily become that. The open rage faded to a simmering malevolence as Xel thumbed the blade off.

And for the first time in his life, Alen feared him.

* * *

AN: Please don't hate me for killing off Telia…it serves a purpose. Despite the subject matter, I must say this was one of my favorite chapters to write. Once again, this will be the last chapter for a while. Season two begins in two months. Please review and recommend.

_**Look for more come April 23rd!** _

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith – Anakin's Dark Deeds: Alen's approach on the entrance and analysis, Xel's rampage, Alen's tracking, Telia's death, Xel's fury unchained, Telia's lightsaber activates.


	23. The Consultant

Alen sluggishly rose to his feet as he stared at his brother, feeling and understanding for the first time why Teliahad wanted to halt his training. He could feel the darkness inside him, feel it expanding and feeding off his rage. It wasn't the same black hole as Darth Vader or the Darksaber, but even with his limited experience with the Force, he knew it could easily become that. _He_ could easily become that. The open rage faded to a simmering malevolence as Xel thumbed the blade off.

And for the first time in his life, Alen feared him.

…

1 hour later

Belsavis

8 months BBY

Cold wind blew over snow-covered mountains, bringing an approaching snowstorm ever closer to a pair of ships parked on a flat clearing. Smoke curled from a spot halfway between the two vessels, a small pillar of heat on a world of freezing cold coming from a lit pyre arranged in a rectangular pattern. Three figures stood watching it burn, two of them staring in melancholy serenity, the third in scowling anger. On the well-assembled stack of wood lay a body clothed in a tan Jedi robe, eyes closed, hair splayed in a fan pattern around its head.

Alen closed his eyes solemnly, breathing in and out deeply as Iola gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He gave her a reassuring smile, wondering at how such a tall, strong woman could be so gentle before turning to look at his brother. After they'd left the prison, Xel had insisted on carrying Telia's body the whole way, despite numerous burns and injuries that Alen had noticed on his form, a limp in his right leg and several blaster burns at unprotected joints being the most substantial. He also hadn't said a word since then, either as he cut down several trees with his lightsaber or built a sizable platform with the wood.

Alen hadn't bothered to ask how he knew Jedi were cremated.

"_Ni su'cuyi,_" Xel said suddenly, voice almost a whisper, "_gar kyr'adyc._"

Alen looked at his face and reddened eyes, noticing a slight tremble in his jaw as he choked out the words.

"_Ni partayli, gar darasuum_."

The Jedi saw his brother's fists curl at his sides and jaw clench hard.

"_Gar darasuum,_" Xel repeated brokenly, as if trying to convince himself.

"Xel," Alen said quietly, reaching for him.

The Mando simply lifted a hand, gently waving him off as he took a deep breath and released it.

It was baffling to Alen just how much Caden was affected. After all, he'd known Telia for barely a fraction of the time Alen had, yet apart from the initial severing of their Bond, Alen had only felt a dull ache, nothing compared to the outright agony he could feel over his Bond with Xel, despite the Mando's best efforts to block him out. The Jedi's lips pursed tightly as he approached his brother anyway, putting a hand on his shoulder. Xel exhaled hard and visibly bit his lip before breaking into a series of hard, choppy breaths.

"Don't hold it in."

Xel looked at Alen hard, shaking his head slightly as he forced his voice to work. "I'm not. Just…trying not to fall apart." He looked down and away, clenching his fists. "Takes ten times longer to put yourself back together."

Alen nodded slowly and turned his eyes back to Telia's burning corpse. "I understand."

They stayed like this, staring blankly into the flames, for nearly an hour as it all burned to cinders, the structure eventually collapsing in on itself. Xel's grim, brooding expression didn't change, and neither did Alen's solemn reverence. Their mother's ashes were gathered and stored in Xander's old room on the _Kandosii'tal_, the brothers splitting off to their separate ships and leaving Belsavis behind.

…

The Kandosii'tal

"So…what now? We try to lay low? Stay off the radar as much as possible?"

Xel gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the hologram. "We've been doing that for years, and look where it landed us."

"Xel, no one could've seen this coming."

"I know. My point is, we were careful in hiding, in keeping a low profile, and the Empire _still_ found and hurt us. They won't stop until we're either dead or working for them, and since the latter isn't even a possibility—"

"Okay, I get your point, but…what other alternative is there?"

Xel looked out into the void of space, thumbing on his holoterminal. "We've been living in the shadows too long. I'm tired of running. It's time to take the fight to them."

Alen's eyes widened as Iola looked on confusedly in the background. "Wait. Wait-wait-wait, you're talking about—"

"Offering our services to the greatest anti-Imperial organization in the galaxy. The Rebel Alliance."

The two people on the other end were silent, one in shock, the other in curiosity.

Xel noticed Iola's piqued expression. "You've never heard of the Alliance, have you?"

She shrugged. "Been on my homeworld until a couple months ago. No holonet, virtually no contact with offworlders. Kinda hard to keep track of the news, you know?"

"The Alliance," Alen said, finding his voice, "is a coalition of various races and systems meant to resist the Empire and restore the Republic." He shrugged. "Thus far, they haven't met with much success."

"Which is why we're going to help," Xel cut in. "After all, what are the chances they have a Mandalorian warrior or Jedi on their roster? We'd be considerable assets to them, and they're hardly in a position to say no to that."

"Yeah, but…how would we even contact them? It's not like they're recruiting soldiers on the holonet."

"No, but Dad and I tracked their movements for almost a year. I know a good portion of the backchannels they frequent."

"There's a good chance the Empire does too."

"As long as we don't mention the words 'Jedi' or 'Force,' we should be fine, even if they're monitoring communications. We'll have to meet them in person if we're gonna pitch this."

Alen breathed out hard. "Okay. I don't think this is the best plan or course of action, but…" He shrugged. "I got no alternatives, and the Rebellion could use our talents."

Xel nodded and took a deep breath. "Here goes."

…

Bakura

After a bit of bargaining and assurances, the Rebel contact Xel had employed agreed to set up a meeting on the neutral world of Bakura, in a remote, abandoned mining facility. The two ships set down on a landing platform near the facility's administrative building next to a Taylander shuttle, a quick glance confirming that their hosts had arrived. Xel patted his hips and chewed his lip uneasily at their uncharacteristic lack of weight, his pistols and knife missed.

"No weapons," they'd said, and although Xel was hardly stupid enough to walk into a meeting unarmed, he meant to appear as such for the sake of their negotiations. Alen too had left his Bryar on the T-6, but his lightsaber was, as usual, tucked away under a fold of his robes. The pair gave each other a nod before walking toward the building's entrance, Iola in tow. The steel-gray structure looked down at them ominously from the outside, and the inside wasn't much better. As expected, two Rebel soldiers were waiting for them.

In the few seconds before they spoke, Xel took the time to size them both up, just in case. _Young, moderately athletic. Visibly unnerved…probably by my armor. Trained, but not very well._ He smirked. _Easy pickings if they decide to try anything._

"The commander's waiting for you," one said.

Xel just nodded and kept silent, a sign for Alen and Iola to do the same as they walked toward a twenty-something man with an officer's bars pinned to his collar. The man was seated at a long table with two others flanking him, obviously his bodyguards. Caden noted with absent interest that he could probably take everyone in this room with his eyes closed and both hands behind his back, forcing himself to think diplomatically for the sake of everyone involved. The "commander" motioned for the trio to be seated, and they obliged, Xel taking the center seat as Alen sat on his right and Iola his left.

"I'm Commander Hile Tobin of the Rebel Alliance," the man said, extending a hand.

"Xel Caden," the Mando responded, intentionally deepening his voice and taking it firmly.

Hile's eyebrow raised slightly. "Quite a grip you got there."

Xel shrugged. "It serves my purposes." He motioned to his right. "These are Alen Li-am—" his hand swept left, "—and Iola Voss, my teammates. We'd like to offer our skills to the Rebellion against the Empire."

"So you indicated." Tobin's eyes narrowed. "What I can't figure out is why. I mean, you're Mandalorian, and the Empire pays much better than we can."

Xel scoffed loudly behind his helmet. "Don't believe all the stories you hear about Mando mercenaries. Besides, my reasons are personal."

"Oh?"

Caden's fists tightened. "They took something from us. Something dear." He took a deep breath as both his parents' faces flashed in his vision, forcing himself to calm and lean back in his seat. "Add to that the fact that they now occupy Mandalore and, well…let's just say Mandos don't approve of being herded."

"If that's true," said one of the bodyguards somewhat bitterly, "then why haven't we had more of your people join the cause?"

Xel gave the man a firm t-visor glare. "The Empire hasn't taken any overt action against us. In fact, they've given us somewhat preferential treatment, given the fact that any attempts at domination would probably cost them far more men and resources than they're willing to lose." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Besides, the Republic you want to resurrect tried to herd us, too."

The glares persisted a while longer until Tobin rolled his eyes and spoke up. "Enough. You came to us with an offer. I want specifics."

Alen raised an eyebrow. "Specifics?"

Tobin nodded. "Experience, equipment, capabilities, specializations. Consider this an impromptu job interview for one of the most dangerous positions in the galaxy."

Xel shrugged and nodded. "Fair enough. I'm a professional bounty hunter, not exactly famous, but that's by choice. If you've heard of Brack Anthis or the Maltis slaver ring, I was partially responsible for the death of one and the crippling of the other."

"How much is partially?" asked the bodyguard rather skeptically.

Xel gave him another glare. "Greater than 50%."

Sensing another glare contest coming on, Alen spoke up. "I'm an expert slicer and shot with a blaster. I can pilot a ship in a combat role, and I've been known to negotiate a good deal or two."

Iola spoke up. "I can nail a womprat with a blaster pistol at 200 yards, got significant technical savvy, and a decent repertoire of covert skills."

At the last statement, everyone at the table gave her a look.

"Is that right?" Tobin asked. "And what's _your_ stake in this?"

The girl shrugged and crossed her arms. "I'm no fan of the Empire, especially after what I've recently witnessed." Both brothers gave her a stern look to keep quiet. "Besides that, I'm a part of their crew, so as long as I agree with what they're doing, I go where they go."

Tobin nodded. "Fair enough." His lips pursed and eyes perused Xel's faceplate as a long silence reigned. "I doubt you three are suited as front-line soldiers."

"And you'd be right," Xel agreed.

"So, what do think about being consultants?"

"In what capacity?" Alen asked.

"Any capacity that suits your specialties. Xel might be assigned to scope out an area or eliminate a target, and if we need to negotiate with locals for supplies and whatnot, we might send you. Tactical consulting, we like to call it."

Xel shrugged. "Sounds fair to me. Just one thing, though, and this is non-negotiable."

"Okay?"

The Mando leaned forward for emphasis. "Do. Not. Bench me."

Tobin looked even more confused. "O…kay? Sure. I mean, it's not as if we're in a position to refuse competent help."

Xel just nodded.

"And what about payment? If you're consultants, we'll need a rate."

The Mando crossed his arms. "Since we _do_ have a personal stake in this, you'll get the family and friends discount. Five thousand a month."

Tobin smiled. "Done."

Xel raised an index. "Each."

He smiled less. "Okay…I think we can make that work."

Seeing the commander's peeved expression, Alen raised a hand. "I can't speak for Iola, but I myself don't need that much. Let's say one thousand."

Xel gave him a sideways look. "Really?"

Alen smirked. "A Jedi should be able to survive on a set of robes and past-due rations for weeks on end." He crossed his arms smugly. "Compared to some more ascetic Knights, I'm practically robbing these people."

"Wait," Tobin interrupted. "You're…a Jedi?"

Alen smiled warmly and tipped his head slightly. "Still learning, still training, but yes. I am ready, willing, and able to assist you in any way I can."

The bodyguard scoffed even as Tobin gave him a stern look. "What a load of bull. The Jedi are all gone, Empire hunted 'em to extinction."

Alen's smile faded, his eyes drifting down. "Almost," he said quietly, "but not quite." He forced a smile onto his face and met Tobin's eyes. "I assure you, I _am_ a Jedi."

"Yeah?" the guard asked with a sneer. "Prove it."

"That's enough, Lieutenant," Tobin said sternly, a hard edge to his voice that immediately told Xel he knew how to take charge.

The man scowled but slumped back into his seat.

_"He's gonna be trouble,"_ Xel said over his Bond.

_"Let it go, Xel."_

His teeth gritted. _"He's disrespecting my _vod_. Can't just let that go."_

Alen sighed audibly.

Tobin mirrored the action. "I have to apologize for my associate's attitude. He's a bit of a zealous skeptic."

_By the time we're finished,_ Xel thought, _he won't be._

"Well," Alen said with a smile, "I wish I could say I'm used to it, but not enough people know I'm a Jedi for me to be."

"Understandable," Tobin answered. "Well…that…changes things." He gave Alen's companions a once-over, his gaze lingering on Xel for a longer period. "So how exactly do a Mandalorian and a Jedi fit in with each other?"

The brothers exchanged a look before the older twin answered. "We'd…rather not say. Suffice to say our loyalties lie with each other. Period."

"So a Mando merc and a Jedi wannabe," the guard muttered.

"Garth," Tobin chided.

The man threw his hands up in surrender.

Alen raised an eyebrow and pressed his fingertips together. "If it would put your friend at ease, I can demonstrate my abilities with the Force."

"That's not necessary," Tobin answered quickly.

Li-am bowed before getting out of his seat. "Oh, but I insist." His gaze flickered to Xel, who he could sense was giving him a strange look behind his helmet. He just smiled and winked in response, and as a result felt a flicker of anticipating amusement over their Bond. He closed his eyes and started to sit, but with no chair below him, focusing the Force and crossing his legs, noting with a smile the quiet gasps as he levitated both himself and the chair off the ground. He widened his smile as his Force Grip extended to "Garth" and his chair, practically grinning as the man yelped rather femininely before being returned to the ground.

"I hope," Alen said to the guard as he reclaimed his chair, "that allays your fears."

Garth gulped and nodded stiffly.

Tobin was genuinely amused, but he was hiding it well. "Well, now that _that's_ settled." He stared at Xel for a few moments. "Would you take your helmet off please?"

Xel almost laughed. "What's wrong? Is it too intimidating?"

The commander scoffed. "Buddy, I face down Imperial stormtroopers on a daily basis, for a living. I just prefer to look a man in the eye when I'm considering a deal."

The boy smiled. "Wise choice." He popped the seal on his _buy'ce _and removed it, placing the _beskar_ helmet on the table between them.

Garth stared at him agape. "Are you kriffing _serious_?"

Xel raised an eyebrow at him bemusedly.

"A kid. We're taking on a _kid_ for five thousand a month?"

Caden scowled at him and thrust a thumb at his own chest. "This _kid_ knows more about warfare than most of your soldiers ever will, especially since a good portion of 'em will be dead within a few months."

Garth snarled at him and started to rise, Tobin grabbing his arm firmly. "Is that a threat?"

Xel crossed his arms, not at all intimidated. "Just pointing out a general trend. Your illustrious Alliance has been making a total of jack when it comes to headway, and one of the key factors in that is your lack of properly trained soldiers."

Tobin raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you offering to help with that?"

The Mando chuckled. "Oh, hell no. I don't have nearly enough patience. My point is, like your commander said, you're in no position to be turning away able help." Xel rose to his full height, his posture and presence still intimidating despite his lack of a helmet. "And I do believe we qualify."

"That you do," Tobin answered, practically yanking Garth back into his seat before standing and extending his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Xel stared at the appendage, then at Tobin's gray eyes. There was intelligence there, a savvy and aptitude for war that was rare in _auretiise_. There was presence and charisma, the ability to inspire followers. Above all, there was conviction. The Mando smiled and took his hand. "We do."

Tobin smiled back. "Excellent. We'll review your claims and history, just to be sure, and then get to work finding you jobs."

Xel smirked. _Probably gonna verify we're not Imperial spies._

"Shouldn't be too hard, considering how hard we've been getting hammered lately."

"You should have my holonet frequency," Xel said, tapping a few keys on his left gauntlet and transmitting the number in question to Tobin's nearby datapad.

"So I do," the commander agreed. "In the meantime, feel free to take some time off, get yourselves equipped for a fight. We don't have much in the way of military hardware, so I'm afraid you'll need to get your own equipment."

Xel smiled malevolently. "Don't worry. Firepower is never an object with Mandos."

Tobin nodded. "Glad to hear it." He checked his wrist chrono and cursed under his breath. "We should go. Never a good idea to stay in one place for too long. I'm sure you understand."

He nodded and retrieved his helmet, donning it as his companions rose. "Of course. We'll be waiting."

Alen bowed to the Alliance personnel and Xel and Iola gave a slight tip of the head before they went their separate ways.

…

30 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal

"So, Xel."

"Hm?"

"What _are_ your reasons for joining the Rebellion?"

Xel gave Alen's hologram a confused look.

"'Cause I honestly don't know. You have no love for the Republic, or for _auretiise_ in general, so…"

The Mando looked away and pursed his lips. "I'm joining to fight the Empire, to bring the pain to those who brought it to us. The Alliance serves that need." He shrugged. "It's just that simple."

"You make it sound like you're using them."

Xel chuckled. "That's because I am. And in turn, they're using us."

"How can you say that?" He sounded incredulous.

"Don't take it the wrong way. It's an uncomfortable truth of any war that any soldier is used by his or her commander. Not necessarily a bad thing, it's just a necessity. In a total war like this, with literally millions of soldiers at stake, competent commanders, especially in higher echelons, typically start seeing their soldiers as assets rather than people, and that's just as well. Without that kind of cold, calculating perspective, many opportunities would be wasted being cautious and fearing casualties. At the same time, commanders on the ground, in the trenches with their men, have to be more compassionate, more understanding and empathetic, or morale will tank."

"I…I guess that makes sense."

Xel shrugged and programmed a course in his nav computer. "I'm goin' to the apartment on Nar Shaddaa. Gotta get some shut-eye. Get outta this tub for a while."

"Right," Alen said quietly. "Are you sure you don't wanna see her?"

Caden sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes." His lips pursed. "No."

Alen's interest flickered to life.

"I don't know." He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Ah hell. We'll see. I need a nap first though. A long, long nap."

Alen chuckled. "Roger that. We're gonna do a job while we're waiting, Iola and me. She picked up something from a friend of hers she met on her 'quest,' and I'd like to help her out."

"Fine," Xel said tiredly. "Be careful, and if you run into any problems, let me know." He clicked the connection off and pulled the _Kandosii'tal's _hyperdrive lever a moment later.

…

Nar Shaddaa

_Faceplant._ Xel's head followed his thought a moment later as the pillow gave way, the mattress doing the same considering he hadn't bothered to strip off much armor. It didn't matter. He could sleep in his armor for all he cared.

Knock knock.

Dark blue eyes snapped open at the disturbance, upper lip curling in annoyance as he dragged himself out of bed and went to the front door, not even bothering to check the peephole before watching it hiss open. The person on the other end sent his eyes widening.

"I…I heard you were back on Nar Shaddaa…and I guess I figured you'd come here."

Xel blinked and nodded, gulping slightly. "Hey Maila…been a while."

She tried for a smile, but it came out as something of a grimace as she nodded. "Yeah."

The disconnect in Xel's mind was palpable. He'd never seen her looking so vulnerable and unsure of herself. "Come in, please." When the Zeltron stepped past him, he checked the area outside his door, reaching out with the Force to sense any ill intent. Finding nothing, he closed the door and locked it, then joined Maila in the apartment's small living room. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No thanks," she answered quietly.

Xel furrowed his brows and leaned against the back of a couch, facing her. "What can I do for you?"

She blinked and locked eyes with him. "I...I don't know."

_Okay, now I _know_ something's wrong._ "Since when?"

Maila clenched her teeth. "Since you."

Xel blinked. "Oh," he said quietly.

She smirked mirthlessly and crossed her arms. "Yeah. Against my better judgement, you've been plaguing my mind for weeks, months even. And it's always when it's quiet and I'm alone."

"Why do you think that is?"

She raised a raven eyebrow. "Why do you think? I always found you intriguing, and ever since you've blocked me out—and yes, I know that's what you're doing—that intrigue has only increased."

He smirked and raised an eyebrow at her. "Intrigue? Is that all?"

The Zeltron rolled her eyes. "Stang, you're such a _smooth _operator."

Xel grinned.

"I admit, I am still attracted, but you've made it very clear where we stand, and I respect that." She sighed. "All the same, I would very much like to see you more than every six months. Or at the very least talk more."

His smile faded as he nodded. "I've…been a fool. I thought that by isolating myself from you, I'd be protecting you from reprisal, but…the fact is that if the Empire wants to know something, they'll find out. And if the Empire wants to hurt someone, they will." His lips pursed. "Right now I'm working to make sure that changes."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Wait, are you saying…oh kriffing hell, you didn't."

Xel smirked. "I did."

Maila crossed her arms. "You joined the Rebellion."

His smile turned malevolent. "It's about time someone started to put the screws to those _hut'uune_, and since the Alliance has been trying with little success…" He shrugged. "I guess I just figured I might as well lend a hand."

"And…this wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your deceased father, right?"

Xel's face fell. "If I get vengeance while I'm working for the Rebels, what does it matter?"

"I doubt your Jedi brother will approve."

"He doesn't need to know, and if he finds out…frankly, I don't care_._" He shrugged. "It's my choice."

"What isn't?"

Xel looked down and away. "How much time I have left, that anyone has left. I'm done trying to cheat death."

"So you're not afraid to die?"

"I am, actually. I'm afraid of dying at the wrong time, with my life's purpose unfulfilled."

"And what's that, exactly?"

Dark blue locked with ice blue. "What do you think?"

Maila chewed her lip and nodded slowly as a long silence passed.

"In the meantime, can I tempt you with that drink?"

…

20 minutes later

Nar Shaddaa

Warm laughter echoed off the walls of a small apartment, reverberating and echoing back toward its source as the other person in the room just shook his head and smiled.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Xel raised an eyebrow and smirked widely. "Trying? I'd say I succeeded."

"Uh huh, sure." Maila took another swig of Xel's _ne'tra gal_, tipping back her mug and draining the last dregs as her friend laughed at her expense.

"It takes a while to develop a tolerance for Mando liquors, Maila, and you took that mug _way_ too fast." He tipped back his own mug and drained it halfway. "Should've taken my advice."

"So," she slurred out slightly, "I never thought to ask, how old _are_ you?"

Xel raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "What does it matter? I mean, honestly, what difference would it make?"

Maila shrugged. "None, I guess. Just curious."

Xel's expression became serious. "But I'm wondering now. Would it change the way you look at me?"

"I guess it all depends on what you say."

He frowned into the remains of his drink, narrowing his eyes. "I'm fourteen."

Laughter, warm and hearty, rang through the apartment as Maila doubled over on the couch, setting down her mug to avoid breaking it. She actually clapped a few times before laying back on the cushions and meeting his gaze again. "Oh, stang. You're serious."

He nodded slowly.

Her smile faded slowly. "Fierfek."

"Something wrong?"

"No, I just…I knew you were young. Just not _that_ young."

"Would it have changed anything had you known earlier?"

She looked at him seriously. "Maybe. At least until you showed me what you were made of."

He nodded and drank again.

Their separate thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Xel groaned as he got to his feet and checked the peephole, thumbing the door open a moment later.

"Alen. What are you doing here so early?"

The Jedi furrowed his brows. "Early? Not at all. Our destination was pretty close to Nar Shaddaa in the first place, so it wasn't much of a shift to get here once our job was done."

Xel nodded. "Speaking of, where _is _Iola?"

Alen stepped inside and pulled back his hood. "Oh, she went to her own apartment here. Couple dozen blocks away. Needed some rest after all the excitement lately. Speaking of which, have you slept at all?"

The Mando's eyebrow raised as he smirked wryly. "Well…"

"Alen!"

The slurred, flamboyant voice nearly made Alen jump out of his skin as Maila charged into him, catapulting into his chest as she hugged him tightly.

"Maila," he said rather hesitantly, patting her head as she pressed her face into his robed chest. "Fancy seeing you here." He gave Xel a pointed look, to which his brother only shrugged and mouthed, "Drunk."

"Fancy that," she said into his chest, voice muffled.

"Um…" Alen was quickly and steadily turning bright red as the older woman continued to make herself comfortable, Xel barely containing his laughter as he reached out over their Bond.

_"You and her…"_

Alen scowled at him. _"Shut up!"_

Xel grinned toothily, silently mocking his brother until he heard a soft snore and looked down to see Maila's body go limp in his brother's arms. The twins exchanged a look before cracking up, Alen carrying the unconscious Zeltron to the couch in the living room before joining his brother in the kitchen.

"What _did_ you do to her?" he asked Xel.

He shrugged. "Nothing she didn't do to herself. I specifically told her to take it slow, but no, women always know best, right?" Xel smirked and shook his head, leaning back on the counter.

Alen crossed his arms and faced him, expression turning serious. "How are you doing?"

Xel shrugged noncommittally. "Fine, I guess."

The Jedi gave him a pointed look. "If this is your version of 'fine,' I would _hate_ to see you having a breakdown."

Caden smirked mirthlessly. "Didn't you hear me before? I don't have the luxury of a breakdown."

Alen put a hand on his shoulder. "But you can mourn. Apart from that funeral on Belsavis, I haven't seen—or felt—you even acknowledge the fact that she's gone."

"I've already acknowledged it once," he bit back, shrugging off his brother's hand and crossing his arms. "I see no reason to do it again. Mandos don't mourn like _auretiise_." He looked away thoughtfully for a moment. "_Aay'han bal shereshoy_," he said quietly.

Alen's brows furrowed. "What?"

"There's…really no direct translation. _Aay'han_ is…kind of a bittersweet feeling. Comes with remembering the dead, both the joy that was experienced when they were alive and the fact that they're gone."

"And _shereshoy_?"

Xel frowned slightly. "A 'lust for life.' The need to experience as much as possible and live as much as possible, because losing the people you love shows you how fragile and short life really is."

Alen actually smiled a little.

"Problem is I only have the former."

His smile faded.

"Mandos…value family above all else, but the fact is…apart from you and my uncle, I don't have one. I feel…bereft, robbed." His fists and teeth clenched. "So in lieu of family, I live for battle."

Alen's lips parted slightly.

Xel's shoulders set. "It's the only path I know to follow, and frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I see," Alen said after a while, his own stance sharpening. "Well, for what it's worth, I'll be right there with you the whole way."

Xel smiled. "Glad to hear it." As he retrieved his mug and downed the last of his _ne'tra gal_, he couldn't help but feel the unease on Alen's side of their Bond, though the Jedi probably hadn't meant to leave it open. _Whatever. I'm no Jedi, and I won't be weighed down by their self-righteousness. My mission is far too important._ His dark eyes narrowed as he set the mug down and strode into his room, retrieving his left pauldron and heading into the makeshift workshop he set up in the apartment.

Alen followed him and watched in interest as he brandished his tools and began working on a chunk of raw _beskar_ and continued for several hours, a symbol forming in the half-centimeter-thick piece after a while. Because of the additives he used to harden and lighten the _beskar_, this particular piece took on a gold color, and Xel inspected it for a few moments before beginning the process of bonding it to his left pauldron. When it was finished, Xel wiped his hands on a nearby rag and toweled off his sweating face, two pairs of eyes looking on, as Maila had awoken at some point, looking a bit bedraggled.

Xel raised the pauldron so he could see it better, then nodded in satisfaction at his work, the image of a gold-colored longsword embossed in his pauldron.

…

1 week later

The Kandosii'tal, Nar Shaddaa

"All right, try it now!"

Sparks flew from the control panel, spraying Xel in the face as he shrieked and raised his hands as protection.

"Shut it down! Shut it down!" Belatedly, the sparks stopped coming, and the Mando scowled at the charred mess in front of him. "_Shab_." He reached in and gingerly pulled the tangle of fried wires apart, then tore half the panel's contents out irritably.

"Are you sure this tub can even handle the power draw of this thing?"

Xel sighed and rolled his eyes as he moved to Alen's position at the power core. "Dad once told me that he jury-rigged this generator from a light frigate. It's meant to power something three times the size of the _Kandosii'tal_."

"So…that's a yes?"

"That's a yes." Xel sighed again and dug his hands into the wiring connecting the core to the new rotating turbolaser cannon he was trying to mount on the top of the ship. "Oh, there's the problem."

"What?"

"Power converter, two rows down."

"Yeah, I saw that, but that isn't even connected to that area of the ship."

Xel shook his head. "Don't believe what those schematics tell you. Everything in this ship is connected. It's a very intricate wiring system, kind of like a web."

"Seems inefficient, and dangerous. If one part malfunctions, the whole system could go down."

"Not quite. See, if one strand of a web breaks, does the whole thing fall apart?"

"Depends on the strand, I guess."

"Well," Xel grunted, heaving the blown converter out and reaching for a new one, "let's just say there are backups for the backups. The only reason this thing's not working is 'cause I haven't found a way to integrate it fully just yet." The converter slipped into place with a firm thud, and Xel got to soldering the necessary parts together.

"Why the weird wiring system?"

"One, it makes it kinda difficult—and inconvenient—for anyone to steal the ship. They'd have no idea how to fix any power problems, should they arise, and in order to get things into 'standard configuration,' they'd have to rewire the whole ship…which would be damned expensive."

"And two?"

"Two, the integrated wiring's necessary to balance out the overclocked power generator, keep the whole system from overloading."

"Ah…I see. Yeah, that makes sense."

Xel grunted once more as he shoved the converter and its connecting wires back into place. "There. That should do it. Now we just need to rewire the connecting junction at the cannon itself, and we're all set."

"I should be able to handle that."

Caden nodded his acknowledgement and wiped his hands on a nearby cloth, going over his task checklist in his head when a female voice was heard from the exit ramp.

"Mind if I help?"

The Mando stuck his head out the door of the engine room to see her striding up to the halfway point. "Not unless you blow something up. We _do_ need it intact for combat scenarios, you know."

Iola chuckled and nodded as she walked past him to join Alen.

Xel sighed and stepped into the hallway, glancing at the cockpit to see if his holoterminal was blinking with any messages.

"Hey."

He turned back to the ramp and smiled a little. "Hey." The boy strode down and patted Maila's arm before moving past her to check the ship's landing struts and hydraulics. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to see how you were coming along."

"Ah, it's fine, minus a few problems. Mostly just maintenance." He swiped his fingers over the underside of a strut, grimacing as his hand came away wet. "_Shab_." As he retrieved his tools and started to plug the leak, he could feel Maila staring at him and reached out with the Force to feel her curiosity. "What is it you want to ask?"

"Is it that obvious?"

He gave her a deadpanned look.

"How far are you planning to take this whole 'rebel' thing? I mean, I know you're only in it for…you know, but…what about after?"

Xel shrugged. "I'm a consultant, so whenever I want to leave, I can. I just have to stop taking their money. And I will, once _he_ is dead."

"You're not worried about the Rebellion failing?"

The Mando scoffed. "I don't give a vrelt's _shebs_ about their _auretyc_ politics. Both parties can blow each other into the next century for all I care. Besides, once I take my vengeance, I'm pretty sure the odds'll tip in the rebels' favor."

"Right."

Xel's belt-mounted comlink beeped, indicating a call at his holoterminal, and he wiped his hands to sprint up the ramp into the cockpit. The holoterminal activated a moment later, and the image of Commander Hile Tobin filled his view. "Commander," he said with a respectful nod.

"Caden. I'm pleased to inform you that everything checks out. If you're ready, we've got a mission for you and your team."

Alen and Iola walked in, Maila staying out of view of the terminal.

"Two standard days ago, one of our scouting teams went missing on Lannik. They were investigating intelligence we received that indicated an Imperial military research and development center in the world's northern hemisphere. That same intelligence gave a glimpse of some of their more recent projects: biochemical weapons, enhanced power armor, and even T-7 ion disruptors."

Caden snarled in disgust as Alen and Iola stared at the rebel in confusion.

"T-7 disruptors?" Alen asked.

"Capable of taking out the electrical systems of entire ships."

"And killing multiple organics in a single shot," Xel added with a bit of a snarl. "Quite painfully." He crossed his arms. "It's a coward's weapon."

"Regardless," Tobin cut in, "it's extremely dangerous to the Rebellion. We're not exactly sure of the extent of their power, but if the rumors are true, then the Empire _cannot_ be allowed to mass-produce them. They'd slaughter us, both on the ground and in the air. They'd have anti-armor weapons that can be held by infantry, knock us out of the game before we even get close."

"What do you need us to do?" Alen asked.

"Get to these coordinates—" the holoterminal flashed with numbers, "—and find out what happened to our team. Pick up their trail _and_ the one they were trying to follow. Since you're such a renowned hunter, finding the facility should be child's play."

"We're on it," Xel assured him. "Anything else?"

"The dossier on the team was just sent to your holoterminal. It may help to understand the path they may have taken. Apart from that, good luck, and may the Force be with you."

He nodded as Alen bowed and the image winked out of existence. Xel heard a heavy sigh from behind and turned to see Maila leaning against a bulkhead, arms crossed.

"Guess you're off then."

"Yeah," said Xel somewhat hesitantly. "Don't worry. We'll be fine and back before you know it."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Don't make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it."

Xel grinned. "You'll notice I said, 'before you know it.' I mean that quite literally." His grin faded to a small smile as Maila laughed. "And I _always_ keep my promises." He gave her shoulder a quick pat as she walked off the ship and back into her office, Iola and Alen moving toward the T-6 as he suited up.

"So, how did you know about the T-7s?"

Xel shrugged at his brother's voice over comms. as he powered up the ship's engines. "I'm Mandalorian. I know _all_ the best firepower." His smirk faded. "And worst."

"We'll stop them, Xel."

The Mando nodded. "I know. It's just a matter of how many bucketheads we have to go through to do it."

To his surprise, Alen said, "Amen to that."

Xel smirked again and pushed the repulsorlifts into action, raising his ship as Alen followed and they both streaked out of atmosphere. Barely two minutes later, both vessels basked in the light of Nal Hutta's sun before flashing into hyperspace.

* * *

AN: _Su'cuy gar_, _vode_, and welcome back for season two! Hope you're having a good Spring thus far. Had some nice, sunny weather here thus far. Great for walks, runs, and archery—three of my favorite things. Hope you enjoyed this first introductory chapter of season two and are looking forward to the brothers' careers in the Rebellion. From now on, I'll be giving you guys previews at the end of each chapter. Call it a carryover habit from my Arrow story, but considering I've patterned this much like a show, I think it works.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: The crew of the _Kandosii'tal_ arrive on Lannik and begin search-and-rescue operations for a team of lost rebels, but when they start making progress, their mission becomes very complicated very fast.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: the Old Republic – Jedi Mission: "What do you need us to do?"; goodbyes, resolve, takeoff and hyperspace

_Oya, ner vode_.

\- CDrake


	24. Operation Deathmarch, Part I

"We'll stop them, Xel."

The Mando nodded. "I know. It's just a matter of how many bucketheads we have to go through to do it."

To his surprise, Alen said, "Amen to that."

Xel smirked again and pushed the repulsorlifts into action, raising his ship as Alen followed and they both streaked out of atmosphere. Barely two minutes later, both vessels basked in the light of Nal Hutta's sun before flashing into hyperspace.

…

Lannik

8 months BBY

"Well…this was…"

"Fruitless? Pointless?"

Alen frowned and arched an eyebrow at his brother's pessimistic assessment. "I was going to say unexpected."

Xel snorted. "Which part, the fact that we just found an empty plateau or that the trail's cold?"

The Jedi closed his eyes and scrunched up his face in concentration as Iola slowly shook her head in the background, wisely keeping silent. "I wouldn't say that," he vocalized quietly.

"Oh," Xel said simply, falling silent as he let his brother do his work. He took the time to double-check his weapons and their power and gas counters, his lightsaber following a moment later as he checked the charge level of its overclocked power cell.

"How many times can you check your weapons before it gets old?"

Xel arched an eyebrow at Iola behind his faceplate. "Never. I grew up learning to do it, so it's actually soothing for me."

Her eyebrows rose somewhat before she shrugged. "Hm."

"What's 'hm'?"

She shrugged again. "Nothing."

Xel turned back to Alen, his usually impeccable patience remarkably short on this particular day. "So, anything?"

Alen pursed his lips tightly for a few moments before opening his eyes and standing. "A remarkable amount, actually. The rebels were here recently."

"Okay, yeah, I think that was pretty much a given," Xel said somewhat agitatedly.

The Jedi arched an eyebrow at him. "My point is, they went through here in a hurry. I'm not even sure they meant to send these coordinates exactly, just that they needed to get a relative location."

"You mean they were running from something."

He nodded.

"Okay," Iola said, "but what exactly were they trying to transmit the location of, them or the R&amp;D center?"

Alen shook his head. "Unclear."

"Well do you know which direction they went?"

He nodded and waved them over. "Follow me."

The trio trekked over ridge after ridge as they followed their resident hound across one of Lannik's more mountainous regions. The planet was, on the whole, arid and dry, although there were certain forested areas that provided some much-needed relief. They were, of course, nowhere near any of those, and although Xel was perfectly comfortable in his climate-controlled armor, the fact was that he didn't look forward to spending the next few hours in this monotonous environment. As it turned out, they didn't have to.

A blaster shot rang out from somewhere among the rocks, and Xel shoved his armored left forearm between the bolt and Iola's back, the _beskar_ blocking the shot as he drew his right pistol and returned fire. A high-pitched yelp answered his attack, and he nodded to Alen, who drew his Bryar and approached the source of the fire.

"Come out now," the Jedi ordered sternly, "hands where I can see them."

Slowly and with a groan, a slightly shorter man with light brown hair and green eyes limped out of a rocky crag, dust covering his features and clothes, a blaster hanging loosely in his raised right hand.

"Want to explain why you were shooting at us?"

The young man, maybe nineteen or twenty, gulped before he answered. "I…I thought you were Imperials," he said, voice surprisingly deep for his age.

"And why would you think that?" Xel asked gruffly, his voice coming out even harsher through his helmet's filters.

The man glanced nervously at him. "'Cause you're not the first Mandalorian mercenary I've seen in the last three days."

Xel's eyes narrowed behind his helmet as he felt the truth radiating off his target, blasters lowering as Alen and Iola did the same. "Well, we're not Imperials. I'm Xel Caden, and this is my team. Commander Hile Tobin sent us to find you and your people, Mr…" He thought for a moment, recalling the file of a man matching his description. "Riilos."

Eran Riilos visibly relaxed at his declaration, though he still eyed the Mando suspiciously. "Three days. About time they sent some help." He groaned again as his leg's injury flared in pain. "Though not the kind of help I was hoping for."

"Hey," Xel chided, "you shot first."

Riilos sighed. "When you're working alone in Imperial-infested territory, you learn to shoot first and ask questions later."

Alen leapt down to where he was and slung his arm over his shoulder, acting as a human crutch to get him to higher ground before helping him sit on a nearby rock. "Why _are_ you working alone?" he asked as he pulled a medkit from his belt and began tending to the wound.

Eran frowned. "We were played. The contact who warned us about the Empire's operation here sold us out, sent us right into a trap."

"So they're dead?" Xel asked.

"I—I don't know. Two are for sure, the rest…" He choked. "I just don't know."

The Mando's eyes narrowed at his strong emotions. _There's_ _someone on his team…_

"What happened _exactly_?" Iola asked.

Eran seemed to size her up for a moment, face screwing up in confusion before he answered. "We were sent to a crag in a nearby cliff, maybe two miles that way." He motioned vaguely south. "Contact said a bunch of weird shipments of biological and hazardous materials were being sent there."

"And all you found was an ambush?"

"Well…no. We found the facility all right, but when we were perched on a nearby mountain, with a considerable distance between us and them, we were ambushed. Imperial troop transport descended out of the clouds, and a dozen stormtroopers dropped in right on top of us. We managed to kill four before the two I mentioned were gunned down as we fled. There were only four of us left." He looked away and frowned. "They picked us off one by one, separating us so we couldn't consolidate force."

"How did you get away?" Alen asked, putting the finishing touched on his bacta patch.

"I fell, took a nasty tumble down a hill. When I came to, I was alone under a pile of rocks, and it was dark. Imps searched for hours. I could see the floodlights scanning the whole area. When they were gone, I tried to find the rest of my team, see if any of them escaped, but in the last two days, there's been no sign of them."

The Jedi wore a frown of concentration. "Do you think you could take us back to your perch?"

Eran stood with a hiss of pain, testing his leg and finding it relatively solid. "Yeah, but I don't fancy that long a walk with this leg."

"It's really that bad?" Alen asked before shrugging and kneeling without waiting for an answer. "Well in that case." He put his hands on the man's leg and closed his eyes, focusing hard and smiling as Riilos took a quick intake of breath, his pain vanishing in mere seconds.

"W—What did you do?"

Alen rose to his feet and smiled wider. "See for yourself."

Warily, the man pulled up his perforated pant leg, peeling off the bacta patch and staring in open shock as he saw a perfect patch of new skin, stripped of hair and slightly pink from the newness of its cells, but still perfectly solid. "How—How did you—?"

Alen lifted a fold of his robe, revealing the lightsaber hanging from his belt.

If possible, Eran's green eyes widened even further. "Kriffing hell," he breathed out. "I didn't think there were any Jedi left."

"Not many," Alen said sadly, "but we do still exist."

"If they sent a Jedi here…Command must think this is more important than I thought."

Xel sighed and looked away. _Of _course_ that's why they sent us here._ His gaze drifted to Alen. _They trust the Jedi. _He sighed again and shook his momentary jealousy off. _The result is the same, so I shouldn't complain._ His brother turned to face him, obviously sensing something off. Xel gave him a reassuring wave, then turned back to Eran. "Well, if we're gonna find this place, we better move now."

"Right. Follow me."

…

1 hour later

"When you said this facility was in the crag of a mountainside, I didn't expect it to actually be built into one."

Eran smirked slightly. "Gotta love Imperial ingenuity. The heavy deposits of dense rocks keep any electronic signatures from showing up on scanners. Probably life signs too."

"Smart," Xel spat out, activating his helmet's macrobinoculars as they all laid prone to spy out the facility. "Their guards aren't quite so hidden. I count five snipers at least, plus a squad of stormtroopers guarding the main causeway that leads in. Not gonna be easy getting in there."

"Not easy? If the Jedi weren't here, I'd say it's kriffing impossible."

Xel rolled his eyes heavily, and as if Alen could sense it, he turned to Eran and spoke. "Sergeant Riilos, I…have a confession to make." At his inquisitive expression, he continued. "I'm afraid your unquestioning faith in me may be a little misplaced. At this point, I'm only a Padawan."

The man's eyebrows furrowed. "You mean—"

"I'm still just a student. Good, but not unbeatable." He sighed heavily. "No Jedi is."

Xel scowled slightly.

"If anything, _he_ has a better chance of getting us in than I do." Alen nodded at Xel's back.

"I…I see." Riilos looked less than pleased as he frowned into his macrobinoculars, eyes flickering over to Xel's armored form.

"The way I see it," Xel said, ignoring his stare, "we only get in if there's a distraction." He pulled a small detpack off his belt, then two more, handing them both to Eran.

Green eyes widened as he stared at the explosives. "What do you want me to do with these, suicide bomb them?"

Xel couldn't keep a groan of exasperation from leaving his throat. "Of course not, _di'kut_. I want you to plant one on the road on our side of the causeway and the other two on a rock formation that overlooks that spot. Detonate the one on the road first to get their attention, and when the stormies come to investigate, detonate the others and drop the mountain on them. While they're busy performing search and rescue, we slip in via zipline and take out those snipers, then make our way inside."

Eran thought about it for a moment. "Huh. It's actually a solid plan."

"Don't sound so surprised," Xel muttered as he faced the facility again. Another half-minute passed before his t-visor faced Riilos again. "Well, you gonna get moving or what?"

The sergeant blinked rapidly before frowning and getting up.

"Iola," Alen said, "back him up and keep a lookout. Make sure you're not detected."

"Roger," she answered, joining Eran in his trek down the mountainside.

Xel could feel eyes on the back of his head as he continued to observe the base's security. "What?" he asked irritably.

"That was harsh."

"What, calling him an idiot?"

"Your whole end of the conversation."

"He doesn't trust me."

"And with that attitude, he never will."

"Do I look like I give a _shab_?"

"Xel—"

"But seriously, he _is_ kind of an idiot."

"Xel…"

"I mean, honestly, just because you're a Jedi, he assumed the mission's a success before it even starts? Those kinds of presumptions get you killed in the field because you let your guard down."

"Xel!"

He spun around to face him. "What?!"

Alen pointed at one of the base's upper levels, expression grim.

Xel turned to follow his line of sight and activated his macros again, frowning deeply and exhaling audibly as he spotted the source of his brother's discontent. "He _did_ say I wasn't the only Mando mercenary here."

"Any idea who he is?"

"Not a clue. Why would you think I would?"

Alen shrugged. "Mandos do tend to stick together."

"Within our clans and family friends, maybe, but not everyone on Mandalore knows each other. Hell, a lot of us aren't even _on_ Mandalore."

"Right. Dumb thought."

Xel exhaled hard again. "Would be great if I knew him, 'cause then I could either try to talk him down or at the very least know his weaknesses and tactics. Whoever this guy is, he's gonna complicate things quite a bit."

Dark blue eyes perused a green-and-brown armor shell, the man inside observing the scenery from the observation deck on the facility's top floor, arms crossed intimidatingly. He was at least 6'2" with quite a bit of bulk to fill that frame. He could only imagine what it would be like getting hit by one of his fists and hope that wouldn't happen.

"It's done," a voice said from behind them.

"Good work," Xel said genuinely, turning to the causeway and spotting the explosives with his macros. He tapped a few keys on his left gauntlet, activating the frequency for the road-mounted explosive. "And here we…go." His right index pushed the detonation key, causing a bright flash and loud explosion to engulf that location. His eyes drifted to the right across the bridge and saw that his detpack had the desired effect, a half dozen stormtroopers moving to investigate. When they were in range of the man-made avalanche, he detonated the other two, dropping several tons of rock in their general direction.

Reaching for his belt, the Mando pulled out his two-directional liquid cable launcher and fired it, one end latching onto a boulder at their back, the other hitting a support post some twelve feet above the snipers' catwalks. He gave the cable a good yank before hooking in with the blunt edge of his knife, the others using proper clips as they followed his example. He raised his empty hand and gave them a silent countdown from three, launching off when it finished and zipping across the gap. A scout trooper's vision flickered in their direction as Xel rapidly closed the distance, and he sensed the man's alarm in the Force as he put his entire weight forward and reduced friction as much as possible.

Using his forward momentum, he swung himself off the cable and through the air, throwing his knife and watching as the blade pierced the man's armor and sunk into his chest. The white-clad body fell limp as Xel's boots hit the deck, retrieving his knife a moment later as the others dropped in behind him. He gave each of them a nod before moving toward the front of the base, crouching down to reduce visibility and spotting two squads of stormtroopers heading toward the smoke and dust-covered detonation zone. Xel reached for his left gauntlet and angled his left arm toward one of the snipers, his helmet's antenna angling down and HUD giving him a targeting sight.

Silent as death, a high-velocity, tungsten-tipped dart flew into the gap between the trooper's armor plates, puncturing his neck and severing his brain stem, killing him instantly and painlessly. He repeated this process with the other three, then made his way to the snipers' access door after taking a security key off one of their corpses. As the door hissed open, he drew his right blaster, left gauntlet still raised as they cleared the entrance. He held his left fist up to halt them at an intersection, then turned to face them.

"We should split up into teams. We'll cover more ground that way. Look for any terminals that might be linked to their records. We're looking for intelligence on what they're developing here."

"And maybe on where they're keeping my team," Eran said before he could stop himself. He seemed to tense up for a moment as he looked at Xel, and the Mando wondered why for a moment before nodding to him. Riilos relaxed.

"I'll go with him," Alen said to Xel. "You take Iola."

Xel nodded and motioned the girl forward as they split off in separate directions.

…

5 minutes later

"Can I ask you something?"

Alen glanced over at Eran. "Sure."

"How do a Jedi and a Mandalorian end up working together? I mean, don't you guys kind of hate each other?"

"A Jedi does not know hate."

The sergeant shook his head. "That's not what I mean. Your two factions have been at odds for what, centuries?"

"Millennia, actually, but that's hardly the point. Our only dispute with the Mandalorians is their proclivity toward warfare, especially when they side against us. In most cases, the Mandos' only reason for fighting us is the honor of it."

Eran's face scrunched up in confusion as they rounded another corner, eyes peeled for any research terminals. "So, they fight Jedi not because they particularly dislike them, but 'cause they respect them?"

Alen shrugged. "That's the way Xel explained it to me. Of course, some are more embittered toward the Jedi than others, but that's true of everyone these days, not just Mandalorians."

"Right."

The pair fell silent as they continued onward, Alen's ice blue eyes finding something interesting and hand motioning Riilos over. He tabbed the computer on, slicing into it almost effortlessly and bringing up the last file accessed. It was a security feed…of a prison cell.

Eran's eyes went wide. "Linn," he breathed out in a near-whisper.

Alen glanced at him. "Your team?"

He gulped and nodded slowly.

The Jedi put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll get them back."

"Is there any way to trace where that feed is coming from?"

"I'll try."

As Alen continued to slice deeper into the computer's systems, Eran continued to stare at the camera feed, tears coming to his eyes as relief flooded him. The Jedi wondered at this for a moment before his comlink beeped.

"Alen here."

"Have you found anything?"

"Not in the way of intelligence, but we have a live camera feed showing Sergeant Riilos' missing people. They're alive."

"Any ideas where they're being held?"

Eran stared at the comlink disbelievingly at the concern in his tone.

"I'm running a trace right now," Alen answered. "Should be done in a matter of minutes."

"Acknowledged. Keep me posted. Caden out."

Alen nodded even though Xel couldn't see him, then started searching the computer for other intel while his trace program ran in the background. "So why the surprise?"

Eran blinked twice. "What?"

"You're surprised at my brother's concern for your people. Why?"

"I—I don't know. Maybe it's just misconceptions about Mandalorians. I mean, they're supposed to be ruthless killing machines."

"Unfortunately, that's a fairly common opinion."

"Sounds to me like you almost admire them." To his surprise, the Jedi smiled.

"In some ways, I do. And _that_ Mando in particular."

"Which brings me back to my earlier point. How did you two end up working together?"

"It's a long story, and not exactly public knowledge. If you don't mind, Xel and I would like to keep it that way for now."

He shrugged. "I can keep a secret."

Alen shook his head.

"As you wish, Master Jedi."

He winced noticeably at the title before he saw something of considerable note on the terminal's screen. "Interesting." The encryption on the file was quickly broken as the trace reached 90% completion.

"Research notes?"

The Jedi shook his head. "Cargo manifest. Probably the same shipments your contact listed as missing." He tabbed through the file.

"How does that help us? We already know what was sent here."

"But not where they put it. This manifest has all that information." Alen inserted a drive into the terminal and began a download of both the facility's schematics and corresponding shipment destinations. His trace program finished a moment after the download ended. "Got 'em."

A holomap of the entire planet rose from a projector to the right of the screen, pinpointing the location of the facility they were in and drawing a glowing line to another location halfway across the planet.

"Whoa," Eran said, eyebrows furrowing. "What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Intel said the Empire just had this one facility on the planet."

"So they have a prison complex." He shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"That's not just a prison," Eran said, a note of alarm leaking into his voice as he accessed other functions on the terminal. Suddenly, the holomap started lighting up with all sorts of dots all across Lannik.

"Oh Force. This isn't just a remote research world. It's a kriffing staging area."

"We have to get this intel back to the Alliance."

Alen nodded swiftly. "Right." He started another download, but before it was even half-finished, a half-dozen stormtroopers flooded the room.

Eran managed to pull off a few shots before the blue rings of an E-11 stun blast engulfed him and he dropped to the ground unconscious. Alen spun toward them, his body keeping the drive from sight as he ignited his lightsaber. The troopers froze for a moment at the sight of the Jedi weapon before angling all their weapons at him. He couldn't defend this many angles at once, not at this close range. His teeth gritted and eyebrows knitted as he slowly lowered the weapon and thumbed it off, reaching out with the Force and pulling the drive from its socket, surreptitiously tucking it into a fold of his robe.

As they moved in to take his saber and slap binders on his hands, Alen activated his comlink with the Force, muting its speakers and only allowing the earpiece to function.

"Caden here."

"So how does it feel to capture a Jedi, bucketheads?"

"Wait…what?"

One of the stormtroopers backhanded Alen in the cheek, leaving behind a large red mark as he recovered with a growl.

"Oh _shab_. Hang on, _vod_. I'm coming."

"Oh no you don't," Alen spat, giving the shin plate of the stormtrooper holding his hands a weak kick.

The same trooper from before smacked his jaw with the butt of his E-11 just hard enough to avoid breaking it.

"Alen, there is no way I'm not going to get you." Xel was getting angry.

"Cooperate, Jedi, or this gets ugly."

"You won't kill me," Alen answered calmly, jaw aching. "Not yet. I'm more valuable alive."

"Maybe to the common bounty hunter."

"And to your commander? The Mandalorian? I don't think he'll take too kindly to having his one chance of avoiding boredom slain before he's gotten a crack at me." The Jedi could tell this man was scowling behind his helmet and smirked internally, knowing he'd hit the mark.

"Move," the stormtrooper ordered sharply, yanking him toward the door.

Alen complied, hesitating and fighting them just a little as he focused with the Force and Gripped the drive in his robe before reaching out over his Bond.

"_Xel."_

"_I'm here. What the hell is going on?"_

"_The Imperials must have detected my hack. Eran is down but alive, and they're taking us prisoner at the moment. I have a data drive containing intelligence that _must_ make it into Alliance hands. I'm leaving it where I drop my comlink."_

"_Got it,"_ Xel thought, "voice" reluctant. _"Wait, did you say 'comlink' and 'drop'?"_

"_Get the drive, Xel. I can handle this."_

"_The _hell_ you can! I'm coming to get you!"_

"_No!"_ Alen ordered, scowling slightly. _"Get the drive and give Tobin everything that's on it. If what I found is right, he'll bring half the Alliance down on this planet."_

"_Alen…"_

"_Please, brother. Do this for me. I promise we'll find each other again." _He could feel Xel scowling.

"_All right…but if you break that promise, so help me, _jetii_, I'll find a way to bring you back from the dead just so I can kill you myself."_

Alen had to restrain himself from smiling, but sent his feelings over the link. _"Understood."_

As both rebels were unceremoniously dumped in the cargo hold of an Imperial shuttle, Alen closed his eyes and Focused the Force toward calming his nerves, feeling a sense of inexplicable peace wash over him as he fell into a deep meditation. _See you on the other side…_vod_._

…

1 hour later

The Kandosii'tal, Lannik

"And you're sure about the validity of this?"

Xel frowned deeply. "My partner staked his life on it."

Tobin pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded, noting the sharp tone to his voice. "Understood. Rebel Command will_ not_ be happy about this, but it's good that we know now. I'm sure it won't take much convincing to get them to send reinforcements to Lannik, but it will take time."

Xel nodded stiffly.

"While you're waiting, I want you to recon the facility where our people are being held and see if you can find a way in. You are under no circumstances to enter alone. Once our forces arrive, we'll make breaking them loose our highest priority."

"I doubt Alliance Command will see things the same way, considering the other installations on Lannik."

Commander Tobin frowned and looked away from the camera. "Maybe so, but I won't abandon them. I promise you that. I'll send my own men in if I have to."

Xel gulped slightly and nodded, his respect for the man skyrocketing. "Understood, Commander. I'll do what I can from here. Just…get here soon."

He nodded. "Will do. Tobin out."

The hologram winked out of existence as Xel leaned against the projector heavily, Iola at his back and watching him concernedly.

"That fool."

It was a quiet statement, a whispered phrase, but Iola still picked up on it. "What?"

He barely gave her a glance. "Alen. He was a fool to give himself up like that. I could've stopped them, could've broken them both loose."

"And then we would've had the whole base's worth of sentries to deal with. His choice was twofold: protecting Eran from reprisals should we have intervened and drawing them into a false sense of security so we could find the drive and get out safely."

Xel resolutely refused to meet her gaze, knowing deep down she was right. "_Haar'chak_."

"Don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound pretty." She put a hand on his shoulder. "You heard Commander Tobin. Right now, we have to focus on that prison complex, focus on finding a way to spring our friends loose when the time comes."

Xel's head cocked as he truly looked at the girl for the first time, gently probing her mind with the Force as his eyes widened slightly. _This _is_ more than just a job to her. She cares about him…and me, for some reason._ The Mando straightened as his jaw set and head nodded.

"Right."

Five minutes later, he had retrieved his helmet and was sorting through what to take with him on their recon mission, Iola flying the _Kandosii'tal_ to the prison, as they'd decided to take just one ship to avoid suspicion. His eyes alighted on a metal cylinder sitting in one of the drawers of his workbench as he pulled it open to get a replacement plate for his jetpack's fuel line. His lips parted before closing as he gulped hard, eyes squeezing shut as he blocked out painful memories before opening and staring at the source of the disturbance. His head turned right and right arm rose, the red symbol of Mandalore on his pauldron still blazing as brightly as always.

Xel turned back to the workbench and reached down, grasping the cylinder and clipping it to the left side of his belt, walking out of the armory and rejoining Iola in the cockpit. She glanced over at him and smiled slightly at his entrance, her eyes darting to his belt and widening slightly at the new addition. He seated himself in the captain's chair and laid his helmet on the dashboard as he leaned back, more than content to let her fly. When he felt her gaze on him again, he pulled Telia's lightsaber off his belt and held it in front of him, eyes tracing its surface.

"When there isn't a body, Mandalorians remember fallen loved ones by their armor pieces." He was silent a while, gloved thumb tracing over the weapon's surface. "She had no armor…but this will more than suffice." He looked over at her and saw an expression of pity on her face, wincing at the sight before accepting her silent support and reaching over to tap his right pauldron. "This was my father's."

Her lips parted slightly as she continued to stare at him, then closed as she returned her eyes to the skies in front of her. "I'm sorry. Losing both parents…it has to be hard on you, especially since you knew them both so closely."

Xel frowned at his feet. "Not as well as I'd have liked to." To his surprise, Iola reached across the gap between them and squeezed his right hand. He stared at the appendage absently, fingers slowly closing around hers as he breathed heavily. The contact broke a moment later. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She turned to him confusedly. "For what?"

"For how I was when we first met, when Alen wanted to take you with him. I misjudged you. Badly."

Iola smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. Happens to the best of us."

"Which I most certainly am not."

From the volume at which he said it, she couldn't be sure whether he said it to her or himself.

* * *

AN:

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Behind enemy lines, Alen works to gain the trust and support of the captured rebel team while Xel deals with the consequences of his brother's unilateral decision and plans an assault on the prison with Iola and Commander Tobin.


	25. Operation Deathmarch, Part II

AN: My dear guest reviewer Pizzalover,

Since I am unable to communicate with you directly through Fanfiction's private messaging system, I decided to leave responses/explanations at the end of this chapter, since I don't want to force my readers to scroll through three pages of author notes to get to the story. Thanks for your attention and keep up the good reviewing.

Sincerely,  
CDrake

PS: I was rereading this chapter just now, and I realized I changed something in my original copy that didn't carry over to FanFiction's record, so I fixed it. It's a moderately important detail, one that a few SWTOR fans might recognize *wink wink*.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Xel said quietly.

She turned to him confusedly. "For what?"

"For how I was when we first met, when Alen wanted to take you with him. I misjudged you. Badly."

Iola smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. Happens to the best of us."

"Which I most certainly am not."

From the volume at which he said it, she couldn't be sure whether he said it to her or himself.

…

Imperial prison complex, Lannik

8 months BBY

A quiet groan brought Alen out of his meditative trance as he looked over to see Eran beginning to regain consciousness. He reached over to steady the rebel sergeant as he climbed to a crouch.

"Easy, friend," he said calmly. "You were out for a while."

Riilos rubbed the back of his head, eyes squinting. "Where are we?"

Alen smiled slightly and nodded behind Eran. "See for yourself."

The moment Sergeant Riilos turned around, his eyes went as wide as possible and face broke into a relieved grin as he tried to stand and run, toppling over barely a moment later as his legs gave out. His body fell into the arms of a young woman no older than he was, her arms encircling his chest under his shoulders and keeping him aloft as a large, burly Weequay assisted her.

"Linn," Eran breathed out, touching the girl's face tenderly. "You're alive."

She smiled and hugged him hard. "Yeah, big bro. I'm still here."

He held her back just as tightly, and Alen turned away with a small smile, not wanting to intrude on a private moment. He closed his eyes again, crossing his legs and falling halfway into another meditative trance before a voice brought him back.

"So who's he?"

Alen's eyes snapped open and turned toward the source, finding Linn Riilos and the rest of Eran's team staring at him openly. He rose to his feet and bowed solemnly. "Alen Li-am, at your service."

Eran noticed the arched eyebrows and quickly and quietly explained. "He's a Jedi."

Three pairs of eyes widened, but Linn spoke up first. "Are you sure, 'Ran? Aren't they all—?"

"Apparently not," he interrupted, smiling slightly.

She sighed in relief. "Then we're saved."

Alen's smile faded and he sighed as he resumed his cross-legged position, this time facing them.

"Well," Eran said, "it all depends on just how good he is, considering he's just a student."

"Wait…what?" The girl, a fiery redhead with the same striking green eyes as her brother, looked between her brother and the Jedi. "How did you survive this long?"

Alen's eyes snapped open as one eyebrow raised. _Didn't expect _that_ question._ "By the skin of my teeth and the courage of myself and others."

Linn snorted. "Not much of an answer."

He shrugged. "It's not exactly a story to be telling in an Imperial prison cell."

She bit her lower lip and nodded. "Right."

"So what now?" the Weequay asked in Huttese.

"Now," Alen said authoritatively, "we wait."

…

2 hours later

"This isn't a prison. It's a _shabla_ deathtrap."

Iola could only nod in affirmation, the both of them on a plateau overlooking a massive building. The "prison" was situated on a rock platform with gigantic sheer drops on every side that they were both sure was _not_ natural. The Imperials had effectively created a moat around their penal facility with only one relatively narrow and retractable plasma bridge off. The only safe and viable way in or out was by air, but the building was equipped with sizable anti-air turbolasers. It would take a miracle of flying skill Xel didn't know he had to get inside…or someone disabling the cannons from the inside.

The Mando turned away and slumped down behind a boulder. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to that _di'kut_."

Iola frowned at him. "Give me a break. Tobin'll send his troops in a few days and we'll break them out together."

"They might not keep him alive that long."

"They've had almost four hours to do it. If they haven't ended him yet, then they need him for something."

"They needed my mother for something too."

Her face fell further. "He'll be okay," she said quietly, as if she were trying to convince herself. "I know he'll be okay."

"Yeah," Xel said, just as quietly. He turned to her and pulled off his helmet. "So what's the deal with your hair?"

She furrowed her eyebrows at him. "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't look 'dead,' like most sentients."

"Oh," she said, blinking rapidly and holding her hand up with a palm-full of her hair. "Well…it's not hair exactly. They're more like…antennae."

Xel's eyebrows shot up.

"I mean, not exactly, but…they can sense changes in weather patterns, vibrations, movement. It's part of why I can shoot so well."

He nodded slowly. "Useful trait to have."

"Yep, especially on my world."

His brows furrowed. "What's it like? Your world, I mean?"

Her eyes took on a dreamy glaze as she stared into the distance, sitting down next to him. "Jeros." She sighed. "It's been so long."

"Only a few months. You couldn't have forgotten it already."

"Oh no," she laughed, her voice ringing almost musically. "I couldn't. Jeros is…ah, it's heaven. Trees that reach into the sky and twist in spirals. Mountains that touch the clouds and seem to float on their own. In fact, I'm fairly sure there are significant gravitational anomalies there that cause that exact effect."

Xel's eyebrows shot up. "I'd _love_ to see that," he said quietly, the image in his mind's eye. His mind started to cloud over and eyes closed as a sudden surge of drowsiness came over him, a cloud-filled vision filling it in live color. His eyes snapped open and returned to the Jerun at his side as everything refocused. "That was—" His voice cut off abruptly.

"What was what?"

He stared at his hands, then closed his eyes, seeing only darkness before opening them. "What else can your 'hair' do?"

She furrowed her brows and chuckled. "What do you mean? I already explained this."

Xel narrowed his eyes. "Think of your homeworld again, of your favorite place to go."

"Why?"

He shook his head slightly. "Just testing a theory."

"Well…okay."

"And just relax your mind. Focus on the memory."

"All right."

Xel closed his eyes as she did, reaching out to the Force and gently probing at the young woman next to him. His breath left his lungs as he was greeted by a waterfall and foliage all around. His vision shifted downward to see that the water was falling from the side of a mountain into a basin…over two miles down. Less than 200 feet down, the side of the mountain was nonexistent, and he knew he was looking at one of these "floating mountains" she mentioned. The vision shifted several times as Iola thought to different parts of her memory, climbing up this same mountain and standing close to the drop point of the falls.

When she fell backward into a bed of grass and flowers, eyes looking up and around, Xel lost his ability to breathe again. Twisting trees of vibrant reds, blues, and greens. Flowers that seemed to glow with life. It was almost as if the flora on this world was…sentient. Caden forced air into his lungs as he opened his eyes, breathing labored. He felt woozy.

"Are you okay?" Iola asked, a hand on his shoulder.

Moisture filled his eyes as he closed them and smiled serenely. "Thank you for that," he said in a near-whisper.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "For what?"

His eyes opened and met hers, and for the first time he noticed that her eyes were the same color and texture as the crystal clear sky in the vision. "I think…I think your 'hair' allows you to open your mind like no one I've ever seen. I saw…a mountain, suspended several miles off the ground, with nothing below it. There was a waterfall, and trees of every color imaginable."

Iola's eyes steadily widened with his description.

He noticed. "You were thinking of the exact same thing, weren't you?"

She was silent for a moment, both of them staring off into the distance. "How?"

"The Force allows you to look into someone's mind if you have the talent. I think your hair's 'sensitivity' is more than just receptive, it's projective. It's more like a holonet hub than an antenna."

"So…what you're saying is, you can see my memories?"

Xel let out a quick breath. "If you let me, yes, but I don't just see your memories. Hear, feel, smell, touch. I can _relive_ your memories, though I'm pretty sure it'd be applicable with any Force-user."

Iola looked a little uneasy, right hand rubbing her left arm. "I'm…not sure I'm comfortable with that."

"You can block us out," Xel assured. "From what I know, you're not Force-sensitive, but there are still techniques for keeping unwanted presences out of your mind that don't require the Force."

She breathed out hard.

"Don't worry." Xel clapped a gloved hand on her shoulder. "We won't let anything happen to you." He smiled. "After all, you're one of us now."

The girl looked at him sideways, lips slightly parted as she regarded him pensively. "I think…maybe I misjudged you too."

Xel smiled wider and shifted position, turning to face her. "Well then." He outstretched his hand. "I say we start over. _Cin vhetin_. The white field of a clean slate."

Iola smiled back and reached for his hand only for him to grab her elbow. She did the same. When she raised an eyebrow at the gesture, Xel explained.

"It's a Mandalorian handshake, meant to prove your ability to haul a comrade to safety."

She smirked and nodded slowly, locking eyes with him as her expression became a little more serious. "Would you trust me to do that?"

Xel too became serious. "Trust is earned, and the fact is, I haven't known you long enough."

She nodded in understanding.

"If I were in that position, though, something tells me I wouldn't have much of a choice." He released her and leaned back against the rock, her doing the same. "Besides, you've got Alen's vote of confidence, so time really is the only factor at this point."

Iola nodded again, turning toward the prison to take a long look before tapping Xel on the shoulder. "Come on. We've been monitoring this place for hours. Let's just place a camera and go. Nothing more we can do right now."

Xel just frowned and nodded, a sour feeling in his gut as he reached out over Alen's Bond. _"Just hang on, _vod_. We're getting you out. Just stay alive."_

…

3 days later

Imperial prison complex, Lannik

A small, serene smile came to Alen's face as another small voice reached his consciousness through his meditation. A sigh fell from his lips as he dragged himself back to the reality of his prison cell and opened his eyes.

"You're finally awake."

Alen nodded to Eran, though he was never technically asleep.

"Still don't know how you can sleep in that position," Linn said with a shake of her head.

He wore that same serene smirk as he answered, knowing it irritated the impetuous girl. "It's not sleep in the sense you know, but it is quite refreshing."

She rolled her eyes and slumped against a wall, opening her mouth to give a biting retort when the cell's laser gate opened, ushering two stormtroopers and an Imperial officer inside with four more troopers on standby outside.

"On your feet, Jedi scum." He spat out the last two words like venom. "The commander wishes to have a word with you."

The pitying expressions from every rebel except Eran sent a pang of fear through Alen as he got to his feet, suspecting exactly what this "conversation" would entail. He nodded to the officer and followed them without issue, his hands slipping into magnetic binders as they guided him through one drab gray hall after the next, ushering him roughly into a turbolift and dropping two levels before moving on. One minute later, his fears were realized, and he prepared himself for what was coming next as the stormtroopers strapped him to an Imperial torture table, the electrified needles and various pain-inducing chemicals facing him intimidatingly.

A massive figure in full Mandalorian armor, minus sleeves, strode into the room and faced him, hands crossing as he nodded to an Imperial technician at Alen's left. The table he was strapped to started moving, and he called out to the Force to calm his panicked nerves and start to dull his pain receptors a moment before agony tore through him like nothing he'd ever felt.

…

The Kandosii'tal, Lannik

Xel's eyes went wide as his hand went to his chest, double-checking it for injuries as the Force holocron's guardian facing him went still.

"Are you all right, Padawan?"

Dark blue orbs narrowed to slits as anger began to fill the youth in question. "Those bastards," he hissed in a near-whisper.

"Pardon?"

"The Imperials. They're torturing my brother."

The guardian, a Jedi Master named Orgus Din, looked away from him with an expression of solemn understanding, and Xel suspected that whoever this intelligence was based on had endured similar circumstances. "I take it you cannot help him?"

Xel clenched his teeth. "Not without risking both him and myself in the process."

Orgus sighed heavily. "Then close your Bond with him for now. You cannot help him, so it is useless to have that connection open."

Xel nodded slowly before something occurred to him. "Maybe not." His eyes closed as he slowly accessed their Bond bit by bit until it slammed open and hit him with Alen's pain full-force. He nearly collapsed when it reached his consciousness, but even as the pain increased, so did his anger, giving him the power to block it out while still keeping the Bond open. Then he reached to the other side, finding more than Alen's feelings, but touching his mind and heart, sending as much love and support as he could before he had to shut the door or risk his own incapacitation.

The Mando breathed heavily for a while, arms bracing himself against the floor.

"That was risky."

He looked at Din. "It was worth it."

The Jedi Master nodded slowly. "It is…difficult, perhaps maddening to go through such agony alone. Anyhow, I think it would be best to distract your mind for now."

Xel nodded shakily, still fuming in anger. "Yes, I think that would be best." He took a few more heavy breaths. "Please, continue."

Din nodded again before speaking. "Where were we? Ah yes. Force Valor, an ability that gives its user enhanced response time and strength both mental and physical, through serenity. This also allows the user to endure more pain than is typically possible."

Xel blinked rapidly and frowned.

"Force Stun. Similar to Padawan Li-am's Force Constrict technique, but far more subtle, Stun is used to render an opponent instantly unconscious, either through subtle manipulation of their state of exhaustion or direct and instantaneous cut of blood flow to the brain. Force Heal. Fairly self-explanatory, I think."

Xel nodded.

"There are, however, two more advanced versions of this power, utilized for various different purposes. Force Cleanse removes all ill effects from its target, including persistent Force maladies and most poisons. This ability is _extremely_ difficult to master unless one is gifted with the talent of healing."

"And the other?"

"Force Sacrifice. By utilizing the compassion of its user, Sacrifice allows them to give their own life force to another, either to heal them of injuries that would otherwise be mortal, or rejuvenate their Force reserves. Because of its high price, Sacrifice is typically only used as a last resort, and only by a few. Many Jedi have given their lives utilizing this ability."

Xel just grunted absently.

Din moved on. "Force Penance. This power channels its user's compassion and pity into a mind-influencing power that forces the target to contemplate and even relive the moments and actions for which they feel the most responsible or guilty. This is particularly useful when facing Dark Jedi, as it may allow one to turn them back to the Light."

_Or distract them long enough to be put down,_ Xel added mentally.

"Finally," Orgus said, "there is a fairly new and controversial ability: Electric Judgement. Originally pioneered by the Jedi Master Plo Koon, this is a power that allows a Jedi to produce a rough facsimile of Force Lightning through serene focus. It's…not as deadly or harmful as Lightning, but still causes pain in victim, as well as additional weakness and eventually unconsciousness. This ability typically manifests itself as slightly green-tinged lightning, but has been known to be yellow, white, and even natural electric blue."

Xel's eyebrows shot up. "That sounds…useful."

"Yes, well, considering its resemblance to the Sith version, many Jedi consider it somewhat taboo."

"I'm not a Jedi," Xel reminded him, voice low.

"So I am continually reminded. These abilities are all typically associated with the Jedi and the Light Side of the Force based on their emotional triggers or mental requirements, but they can, theoretically, be used by anyone." He gave Xel a pointed look. "Even one who refuses to adhere to either side of the Force." There was no judgement in his voice, but a curious fascination.

"So," Xel said thoughtfully, leaning forward in concentration, "you're saying that I have the capacity to use both Dark and Light abilities?"

"Perhaps. Only time will tell."

The boy narrowed his eyes. "You said you had information on Sith abilities."

The Jedi Master looked at him suspiciously. "So I did."

"Could you teach me?"

The hologram crossed his arms. "Perhaps, although the records I built into this holocron were meant to aid in defense against such powers, and not in the execution of them. Besides, you already have enough darkness within you without anyone teaching you to revel in it."

"Revel?" Xel asked incredulously. "I'm only learning all of this—I've only _ever_ learned this so I can protect myself and my family. I don't want power, but at this point, it's a necessity just to survive."

Orgus still looked skeptical.

Xel sighed. "Look…I came face to face with a Sith who'd successfully possessed men, Force-users, with more power and experience than I had and won. He offered me everything I wanted at the time, and I turned him down."

Master Din seemed confused, probably because he could see there was no deception in the boy. "How?"

Caden sighed solemnly and looked down. "My family. I made a promise to my father." He clenched his right fist and returned his gaze to the hologram. "And I always keep my promises."

Din still looked reluctant, but far less so than before. "Very well then. But we will take this slowly, and if I believe you must stop, then you will, no ifs ands or buts."

Xel nodded. "Agreed. I have no illusions about my limitations."

The Jedi sighed. "Then let's get started."

…

3 days later

Imperial prison complex, Lannik

Alen hissed in pain as Linn gingerly applied a bacta patch to his lower chest, the burn under it raw and bleeding.

"Thank you," he said with a small, grateful smile.

Her lips barely twitched in response, her entire expression, and that of everyone else in the room, screaming of despair. "Why are they doing this to you?"

He shrugged. "They're the Empire. They don't need a reason." He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest as gently as possible. "Didn't even ask me any questions."

"And no one else here has been getting that kind of treatment," Eran cut in, patching up their Weequay compatriot while the fourth man, an Epicanthix, tended to his own minor injuries. "At least not to that extent. Hours of relentless torture on end." He shook his head. "I don't know how you can stand it and keep your sanity."

"The Force is my ally," Alen replied firmly, forcing down the anger that had slowly been building within him over the last couple of days. Without his consent, both his hands clenched into fists and his voice came out harsher and more like a growl than he intended. "And a powerful ally it is."

Eran noticed it and smirked slightly. "Well, if you're gonna do something, Jedi, we're right behind you."

"We can't do it alone."

"Well who else is gonna help?" Linn demanded. "If the Alliance hasn't come for us by now, they never will."

"Don't say that, Linnie," Eran said.

"Don't call me that! And you know it's true. No one is coming for us."

Alen's eyes narrowed. "My partner is."

All eyes turned to him, but only Eran spoke. "Your partner?" He asked it somewhat incredulously. "Your partner is a _mercenary_. Works for the highest bidder. What's worse? He's _Mandalorian_."

The others immediately had alarm written all over their faces, and Alen pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "It's not like that at all," he said quietly, trying to keep himself calm.

"Oh yeah?" Linn asked. "Well what happens if he _does_ come, and has to face down one of his own people, huh? When he hesitates, and that Mando scum makes him a better offer than we can, what do you think he's gonna do?"

Alen's teeth clenched involuntarily, anger rising.

"No mercenary I've ever seen is loyal to any more than a paycheck," Eran snarled. "Sorry to break you the cold, hard truth, Jedi, but you've been duped."

"Shut up," Alen muttered inaudibly through clenched teeth.

"If Caden hasn't already abandoned us, he will the moment he gets here."

"Shut up!" the Jedi roared, silencing all of them instantly as the force of his anger reverberated throughout the cell, his body shaking. "Xel Caden is one of the most loyal, honorable men I have _ever_ had the pleasure of knowing."

"That's just what he wants you to think so he can stab you in the back," the sergeant insisted.

Alen snarled right back, voice rising to even more intense volumes. "If he wanted to stab me in the back, he's had _ample_ opportunity. A year, actually."

"How do you know he wasn't just playin' the long con, huh? You read his mind?"

"No," he spat disgustedly.

"Did you check up on him? On his past? On his contracts? You know what he keeps in that hardcase on his belt? A lightsaber. Saw it when he started twirling it on that perch. He killed a _Jedi_, Li-am."

"No, he didn't," Alen growled.

"Yeah," Eran yelled, getting to his feet and approaching Alen, "and how do _you_ know?!"

Alen flashed to his feet and grabbed him by the collar as he roared, "Because he's my kriffing _brother_!"

Silence.

Slowly, as his breathing slowed from the feverish pace his anger had driven it to, Alen released him and stepped back, slumping back against a wall and sinking to his knees.

"Your…brother?" Linn asked uncertainly.

"Yes," Alen snapped. "My brother."

"I'm sorry," Eran said softly. "It's just…with all the interrogations, torture, the abandonment. It's getting to me, just like the Imps want it to." He stared at Alen's fuming mask, the Jedi resolutely refusing to look at him or anyone else. "If you think he'll help us…then I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Alen met his gaze and nodded with a sarcastic smile, putting himself into a Jedi healing trance a moment later, as he had after every torture session.

…

3 hours later

The Kandosii'tal, Lannik

"What do you mean you can't get here any faster?"

Commander Tobin sighed heavily and shook his head. "I mean we don't have as much manpower as we should, so consolidating it all will take weeks, maybe a month."

"My partner," he hissed between clenched teeth, "doesn't _have_ a month. They are _torturing_ him. Every day. No doubt the others are going through the same thing. Eventually, one of them is going to crack."

"As cold as it sounds, none of them have anything important enough for Alliance Command to run the risk of expediting the process."

"And what about you?" Xel asked accusatorily. "You promised me you would send your own men if you had to. Was that an empty assurance too?"

For the first time, Tobin actually scowled at him. "I don't _make_ empty promises," he spat out. "But _you_ need to be patient. I've already sent two squads of my best commandos to Lannik. They'll be arriving in a day at most."

Xel sighed in relief but kept his stern tone. "And you didn't think to tell me that? Communication is key in war, and I don't want to be making decisions on the battlefield based on wrong assumptions."

Tobin's expression softened. "I understand. I should've realized how much this would mean to you and let you know help was coming. I apologize."

Caden nodded. "Understood. Do they have the intel I sent you on the prison?"

"Yes, I made sure they received your report before leaving."

"Good. I'll…stay on standby."

"Thank you."

"In other matters, the rest of the Imperial facilities are still mysteries, their functions unknown. After we perform this rescue mission, we'll need to recon every one of them and report back to Command."

"Agreed. The Imp presence here is clandestine, but with that many facilities, there have to be a lot of them." Xel frowned. "Much as I hate to say it, we'll need those reinforcements."

Tobin nodded slowly, then fell into a long drone about the state of the Rebellion that Xel selectively began to tune out, but kept nodding and looking like he was paying the appropriate attention as he reached out over Alen's Bond. To his surprise, his brother had reached out first.

_"Xel."_ His "voice" almost sounded panicked.

_"What is it, _vod_?"_

_ "There have been whispers around the prison, and they were just confirmed."_

_ "What rumors?"_

_ "Apparently they've either gleaned all the information they can from us or they've decided we don't have anything of value."_

Xel's eyes widened. _"No."_

_"We're slated to be executed at 1300 hours local time tomorrow. If you're gonna do something, Xel, better do it quick, 'cause I can't break out of here on my own, not with all these people."_

The Mando's teeth clenched. _"Understood."_ He closed the bond and refocused on Tobin.

"And the forces around Hypori are—"

"Excuse me, sir, but I'm afraid something's come to my attention."

Tobin frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

Xel scowled slightly. "The rebel prisoners inside that prison are gonna be executed tomorrow afternoon." He couldn't exactly tell over the blue-tinted link, but Xel could've sworn he saw the commander pale. "When exactly are your people getting here?"

"If they stay to the prescribed route, just after 0900 Lannik time."

Xel let out a relieved sigh. "Then we've got six hours to plan our jailbreak."

"Roger that," Tobin said grimly. "Let me know when my teams arrive. I want to be in on this operation."

"Copy. We'll get it done," Xel said with certainty. "Caden out." He thumbed the holoprojector off, turning to a similarly pale Iola. "We have to get some rest. Gotta be at our best for them tomorrow."

The girl gulped and nodded slowly, the two of them sidling off to separate quarters as they both tossed and turned until exhaustion took them.

…

Next day

1250 hours Lannik time

Imperial prison, Lannik

"Rise and shine, rebel scum!"

Alen nearly unleashed the full repertoire of Mando'a cuss words he'd picked up from Xel before realizing that the disturbance had come from a fully armed Imperial stormtrooper who would probably carry out his execution early should he resist. Groaning in pain and exhaustion, he shakily rolled to his feet as the rest of his fellow rebels did the same, letting him take the lead as the laser gates came down, revealing two columns of stormtroopers standing at attention.

"Curtain call, worms."

Alen's Jedi patience was all but gone at this point, so he didn't even try to suppress the audible hiss or snarl he threw at the speaker. He obeyed them nevertheless. Jeers and whoops came from one cell after the next as hardened criminals cheered the impending deaths of the rebels, the stormtrooper escort practically parading them around the prison before taking them two floors above the main prison block. They were led one by one into a large circular room with several transparisteel windows, a high-vaulted ceiling, and cameras and screens everywhere.

"Oh these sick bastards."

The Jedi turned to Eran, the speaker, then followed his disgusted expression to a half-dozen badly mangled bodies. They looked like they'd been mauled by a wild beast weeks ago, as they were already half-decomposed.

"They recorded it," Alen said, tone horrified.

"Probably played it for all the prisoners too," the Epicanthix, Treyvan En, said in a disgusted tone. "As some sick form of entertainment."

"Considering who comprises the majority of this place's population," Linn said, "I think they'd give it a thumbs up."

The troopers led the five of them onto the center of the room as all the cameras and screens powered up, showing them from several different angles as the stormtroopers withdrew and shut the blast doors behind them.

The Mandalorian, Jes Tenau's voice boomed over the base's loudspeakers. "Attention, denizens of Imperial Prison Aurek. This is your warden speaking. Today I bring you the plight of five captured rebels. In the spirit of…Imperial metaphor, you will be given an example that represents not only these five, but the entirety of the rebel cause…just in case any of you were thinking of going to them for amnesty."

The creak of a massive door at the far side of the room drew all of their attention.

"As always, I present to you your champion, the White Devil spawned by the Demon Moon. Enjoy, scumbags." Tenau's voice vanished as the door's opening reached completion, the gigantic figure inside growling at the rebels from eighty feet away as it started to move forward.

Alen's eyes widened as it came into full view. _Twenty feet tall, massive tusks, pale green skin, red eyes._ He recognized it immediately.

"What…the hell…is that?" Linn breathed out.

The Jedi's eyes narrowed. "It's an albino Boma, native to the moon of Dxun. Aggressive, carnivorous, and tough beyond reason."

"How the hell do you know _that_?" Eran asked, voice and body shaking.

Alen pursed his lips. "Because my brother killed one when he was thirteen."

Three gasps sounded at once.

"How?" Linn asked dubiously.

The Jedi shrugged. "I never thought to ask."

"Well," Eran said mock flippantly as he watched the Boma advance, "ya probably should have."

Alen just smiled and walked toward the massive creature, the others looking on in barely restrained terror as he noticed a remote-controlled electric collar around its neck.

"Jedi, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just watch," he responded quietly but firmly, raising his right hand as the beast closed to ten feet. "And be quiet," he added. "I'm focusing."

Ice blue eyes fluttered closed as he breathed in deeply, reaching out with both the Force and his right hand, feeling the presence of the Boma in front of him. There was rage and aggression there, but more than overwhelmingly fear and pain. This creature was as much a tortured prisoner as them. An overwhelming pity filled him as he felt it lower its head, smiling warmly and opening his eyes when he felt its scaly muzzle press against his palm.

"Hello, my friend," he said warmly, comfortingly. "I know how much you've suffered. I can feel it." His face twisted in sadness for a moment. "But you won't suffer anymore, not at their hands." His left hand raised toward its neck and clenched hard, the collar buckling hard and snapping in pieces a moment later. He put both hands on the albino's head even as he felt the aggression of a dozen approaching stormtroopers, channeling the Force into the beast and both numbing its pain and lifting its exhaustion.

Almost immediately, its posture straightened and head raised slightly as it bared its massive teeth. Its feeling in the Force mirrored Alen's resolute expression as he nodded to the creature and it kneeled to offer its back. He smirked and climbed on, holding onto the base of its horns for support as it rose to its full height. His smirk turned into a grin when he saw the openmouthed expressions on his former cellmates' faces.

"Destroy them all!" Tenau roared over the loudspeaker.

The rebels formed up behind Alen's new friend as it stepped between them and the door, each of them taking ready stances and preparing themselves to fight. The blast door started to hiss open, white-clad stormtroopers fanning out in a firing squad pattern, all blasters aimed at him and the beast.

Alen just smiled nastily as he responded to Tenau's order.

"Good luck."

And he spurred his mount into a roaring charge.

* * *

AN: For those of you who played KOTOR 2, you'll recognize the power that Alen used at the end. For those of you who didn't, Jedi have the ability to effectively "talk" to animals, except when they're feral.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: It's a jailbreak in the Imperials' penal facility, with tandem assaults from within _and_ without. When the warden realizes he's lost, though, he becomes a cornered animal...and there's nothing more dangerous than a Mandalorian who feels cornered.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: the Old Republic – Justice, the Jedi Knight: start-1:25—"I'm focusing" to mounting and rise to full height; 1:25-1:44—"Destroy them all!" to "Good luck"

PS:

Dear Pizzalover,

Your chapter 3 review: Xander doesn't believe in emotional serenity. He's a Mando, not a Jedi, and even they weren't always the stuffy-shebs robots they were in the Old Republic. Mandalorians believe that family is the most important thing next to honor, and as such love, and other strong emotions, are seen as assets, not liabilities, _if_ they are used properly. The Jedi of old saw strong emotions used _improperly_, and as such they changed their rules to suppress them, not realizing the whole time that the most dangerous emotion of all drove that decision: fear.

Your chapter 7 review: ...I honestly can't disagree with you. Bottom line, Xel's a lot less socially awkward than Alen (being that he didn't live on a mountain all his life), and I'm not particularly good at writing awkward family reunions.

Your chapter 9 review: That pretty much _is_ his life, which is the whole point. Jedi training is meant to be disorienting and confusing to those who haven't grown up in it, hence why Anakin Skywalker turned out the way he did (well that and the rules were too strict to be bent for a special case). If you're feeling a bit dizzy or discombobulated, good. That's exactly what Xel's feeling at this point in time.

Your chapter 11 review: The fear isn't necessarily that he'll betray them to Vader, only that he might _eventually_ join with him. Power is a seductive, corrupting thing that appeals to your sense of honor in a way that twists who you are into somethng you were never meant to be, which is exactly what I wrote to address in chapter 21. Xel's reassurance to her (and his turn-down of the Sith in 21) is a declaration that he knows his identity (which includes the two Jedi as his family and therefore off-limits for anyone who wants to hurt them) and won't give it up for anything.

Your chapter 13 review: Two reasons why Vader didn't deploy his apprentice. One: he thought (and rightly so) that he could handle both Xander and Telia alone. Two: the Emperor/Darth Sidious, _his_ master, would _flay him alive_ if he found out about an apprentice's existence (see Darth Bane: Rule of Two for explanation). The only reason he survived the Secret Apprentice/Galen Marek debacle (The Force Unleashed) was that both he and Sidious came up with the idea of a mole within Rebel ranks. Since that particular incident happened just months before Xander's death, Vader had to be doubly, if not triply, careful not to excite the Emperor's suspicion.

Your chapter 17 review: First off, remember in chapter 8 when Xel accidentally sees one of Telia's memories through their Force Bond? Well, Alen can do that too, and she knew it, therefore she fed memories of his father to him. Just in case that wasn't clear. Secondly, Iola Voss is _very_ important, as you'll see later/are seeing now.

Your chapter 18 review: That was _not_ (and listen to my language) _not _**_NOT_** Darth Vader. Darth Vader must wear a life-supporting suit at all times or he will _die_, as per his master's wishes. Therefore, his eyes, (which are not silver, btw) would not be visible. And again, apprentice's existence exposed = death for Darth Vader through Force Lightning cast by the Emperor.

Your chapter 21 review - Alen doesn't know as much Mando'a as his brother, true, but he knows a lot more than when they first met, given his renewed interest in Mandalorians as of chapter 12, and it's been over 6 months since then.

Your chapter 22 review: No offense taken, but I had hoped for a stronger reaction, though Xel probably had one more than strong enough for everyone. By the time Alen reached Xel, the "base" (which was actually just a prison) was completely devoid of life save for the trio (Xel, Alen, Iola). It wasn't well-stocked to begin with, being that it was on a remote world where Vader could keep his prisoners completely off the radar, and having a homicidal, lightsaber-toting, _beskar_-armored, Force-sensitive, royally pissed off Mandalorian rampaging through the place decidedly did _not_ help. Hence the dozens of bodies Alen followed to his brother and mother.

Your chapter 23 review: Excellent. If I can create the same feelings as both those _EPIC_ manifestations of Star Wars, then I'm doing my job right. I am _HOOKED_ on that show, in case it doesn't soon become readily apparent, and I thought it'd be a good hook to get people more interested in the Rebellion's side of the equation.

Hope that answers most (if not all) of your questions. As I said before, keep up the good reviewing and let me know if anything else doesn't make sense. If you've got questions, I'll answer them at the end of the chapter, just like this.

_Oya ner vod._

\- CDrake


	26. Operation Deathmarch, Part III

"Destroy them all!" Tenau roared over the loudspeaker.

The rebels formed up behind Alen's new friend as it stepped between them and the door, each of them taking ready stances and preparing themselves to fight. The blast door started to hiss open, white-clad stormtroopers fanning out in a firing squad pattern, all blasters aimed at him and the beast.

Alen just smiled nastily as he responded to Tenau's order.

"Good luck."

And he spurned his mount into a roaring charge.

…

2 hours earlier

Lannik

7 months BBY

"The way I see it, we'll need a damn good distraction to get the Imperials to raise the plasma bridge and send their troops to the other side. While that's happening, we come in on swoops and get to the other side, then kill anything in our way."

"That's a great plan," a rebel commando said sarcastically from Xel's right, "except for the fact that we'll be vaped before we get halfway across."

Caden smiled behind his helmet. "No we won't. The _Kandosii'tal_, my ship, has enough firepower and shields to do a single strafing run of any sentry cannons, and with Ms. Voss at the helm, we should have more than enough cover."

The Jerun girl smiled at the compliment.

"Even if she can't disable those turbolasers in one pass, she'll get their attention, which should give us more than enough time to close the gap and get inside the prison."

"Okay, better plan, but that still has us facing down several dozen, if not hundred, Imperial guards when we reach the interior."

Xel smirked, putting a little dark mirth into his voice. "Not to worry. I have a man on the inside." He turned toward the prison and smiled wider. "They'll have more than enough to worry about when it goes down." He was silent a while longer.

"No disrespect, Mr. Caden," one of the commandos said, crossing his arms, "but…who exactly put you in command?"

"I did." The image of Hile Tobin came from a holoprojector in Iola's hand. "He knows more about the prison complex than any of you, and he's been communicating with his inside man to get more details about the building's inner workings and garrison. Until this rescue mission is over at the least, you're all under the Consultant's command."

"Understood, sir." The same commando pursed his lips and stared at Xel hard. "So what are your orders?"

Xel reached out over his Bond and tightened his expression as he relayed everything to Alen. His eyes snapped open and turned back to the prison. "We wait." He crouched down and dug his fingers into the sandy rocks under his feet. "We wait for the signal."

"Which is?"

"I'll know it when it happens."

…

Present

Imperial prison complex, Lannik

The screams and yells of a dozen stormtroopers reached the ears of five rebels as a vengeful beast tore through them like flimsi in a shredder. White plastoid was shattered and dented under massive paws, bodies thrown dozens of feet by a massive head and the tusks that protruded from it. Alen's Boma ally stampeded through the first wave of guards, their volley of crimson plasma rounds doing little more than pissing it off as he drove it forward. E-11s were appropriated by the four rebel soldiers, and they added their firepower to Alen's charge…not that it was needed. Across the halls of the prison, the Jedi and his beast mount created a storm that sent wave after wave of Imperial soldiers in their direction.

Barely two minutes after their breakout began, the entire base shook and rocked. Alen smiled malevolently. _You fierfeks are in trouble now._ He slipped from his perch on the albino's back to roll on the ground next to Eran Riilos, the rebel handing him a procured blaster pistol. The Jedi took the weapon with a nod and began picking off anything in range, tagging first any stormtroopers who directly threatened their walking wrecking ball. His eyes closed as he ducked behind fallen rubble for cover.

_"Xel," _he sent over their Bond.

_"Can't talk now!"_

_"Just letting you know we're still alive and well."_

The feeling of laughter washed over the connection. _"Was there ever any doubt?"_

Alen smirked. _"Maybe a little."_

_"Well don't worry. We'll be in there in no time. Just entering now…pleasantly surprised to find the entrance lightly guarded. I'm guessing that's your doing?"_

Dark amusement was his only answer.

_"Well in that case—"_ The link was disrupted for a moment as a sharp feeling of alarm surfaced for just as long. _"In that case, keep up the good work."_

_"Will do."_

"Hey, Jedi! A little help here!"

Alen frowned and looked over his cover to see the Boma relentlessly slamming the body of a stormtrooper commander was repeatedly and savagely slammed against a wall, the entire area shaking with the impact.

"Control your pet please!" Linn shouted irritably.

He rolled his eyes and walked toward it calmly but rapidly. "It's not a pet. It's an ally."

Alen reached out to it with his hand and the Force, sending a wave of calming energy over it. It slowly came to a stop, turning to face its liberator and benefactor, then snarling as it spotted something it didn't like and charged. His eyes widened in alarm before he dove out of its way as it barreled past him into an AT-ST none of them had noticed between the shocks and rumbles of both the external bombardment and the Boma's rampage. Gigantic tusks tore massive gashes in the walker's command module, lifting the massive war machine off the ground and crashing it into a wall, then ramming it again and crushing it completely.

Alen breathed a sigh of relief and sent his thanks with the Force. The Boma simply tipped its head, then turned toward another blast door and barreled through it as the rebels followed its trail of destruction.

…

Xel cleaned his knife on a nearby duracrete wall as he stepped over the remains of an Imperial officer, returning the _beskar_ blade to its sheath a moment later. His comlink beeped and index tapped the side of his helmet to activate it.

"Caden here."

"How are things looking in there?" Iola asked.

Xel took a good look around at the various bodies, armored or otherwise, that were scattered across the halls of the prison and shrugged. "As good as one might expect. No casualties just yet. Alen must've done somethin' real nasty to draw them all off like this."

"Roger that. Do let me know when you find him."

Caden smiled and strode forward, two commandos at his back as the rest made their way to the security hub. "I'll be sure to tell him how worried you were."

"Wait, I never said—"

"Caden out." The line clicked off as he drew his right pistol, clearing another corridor and confirming a lack of guards before pressing forward and reaching a turbolift to the warden's station. He turned to the commandos. "Go find the others. They'll need your help to take the security center." Xel tightened his grip around his pistol. "I'll handle the warden."

The rebels exchanged a disbelieving look.

Xel just opened the turbolift and stepped inside. "Go. Now." His tone left no room for argument.

They nodded somewhat uncertainly before splitting off from him and making their way across the prison halls. Caden closed the turbolift doors and keyed the top floor of the prison, drawing both pistols and stretching out with the Force to feel out the area above him. A half dozen signatures reached his consciousness, plus one more that was vastly different from the rest. While the six were a curling whirlwind of fear, excitement, and arrogance; the one was a calm current of lethal intent, a deadly anger simmering just under the surface. Xel's grip tightened around his blasters. _This isn't gonna be easy._

When the doors parted, a half-dozen blaster bolts perforated the inside of the turbolift with black, charred holes, the stormtroopers they came from staring in confusion at the empty vessel. That is, until half an armored body came into view upside-down, its arms pointing straight at them as its legs kept it hanging from the elevator's top hatch. Two automatic bursts from each pistol decked four of the six before any of them could respond, much less dive for cover. Another of the two fell to Xel's salvo before he dropped down in a flip, turning 180 and pinning down the last trooper as his eyes scanned the room for the warden.

Dark eyebrows furrowed behind his helmet as his eyes narrowed. Stretching out with the Force once again, Xel rolled behind a desk as blaster fire cut through where his head had just been. Actually, he wasn't sure it _was_ blaster fire. There was no sound, no warning, no muzzle flash. If it weren't for a push from the Force, he may just have gotten shot. Xel peeked around his cover to take a shot to the shoulder, shrugging it off to plug the stormtrooper who'd fired it, then scanning the room for signs of his last attacker. The warning he'd gotten before the unexpected shot wasn't like the usual threat that preceded a blaster shot; it was warning of impending death.

Caden hesitated for barely a moment before reaching for the hardcase at his hip, dropping his lightsaber into his hand and standing a moment before he ignited it, the large yet claustrophobically lit office bathed in its deep blue glow. There was no sound except the soft hum of his blade for a long while.

"Interesting."

The single word set Xel's teeth on edge as he scanned the echoing room for the source of the voice.

"Not only are you a fellow Mando, but a fellow Jedi slayer, and yet…you would align yourself with one."

Caden was silent, blocking out most of his senses to focus the Force on finding him.

"The Rebellion is already doomed. Why go down with a burning ship? Do right by yourself. Forget whatever paltry sum they offered you and live."

Xel's left blaster met its holster as he thumbed his lightsaber off, his entire body shaking silently for a bit before laughter, loud, bitter, and mocking, rang through the room. "Ah, that…that's actually funny. The truth is, Warden, the rebels didn't offer me anything. I named my price…well, monetarily anyway. My real fee is a debt they couldn't pay me if they wanted do." His empty fist clenched. "A debt that can only be paid with blood."

"Ah, so you have something against the Empire, some bone to pick with these _auretiise_."

"I do, and I will not stop until I and all my fallen _aliit _have been avenged."

"A noble cause, to be sure. Sadly, I can't allow you to continue. It's nothing personal, you see."

Caden's teeth gritted. "And was torturing a Jedi child mercilessly nothing personal?"

The other Mando laughed bitterly. "You of all people should know how much the Jedi need to pay. After all, where did you get your trophies otherwise?"

Xel stared at the two hilts on his person. "They're not trophies." He ignited his saber. "They're reminders, reminders to never forget what happened to those I loved."

"And you claim you do not hate the Jedi?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Yes…because this Jedi was my family."

Silence answered him.

"Didn't expect that, did you, _chakaar_?"

_And you won't expect this._

The blue disc of Xel's thrown lightsaber lit up the room as it streaked death toward its target, the man narrowly escaping it by a small margin, the blade skidding off the top of his helmet nonetheless. The weapon returned to its owner a moment later as he charged at his target, spinning his blade as the man fired several times. _Interesting…they're definitely not blaster bolts…more like slugs._ The "slugs," however, were not the clumsy shells used in most slug throwers. They were thin, long, and quite obviously deadly. A closer glance at the weapon itself was enough to confirm his fears.

_Verpine shattergun. Nasty weapon._ As Xel batted shot after shot out of the air, the sizzle of the incinerated rounds quite loud in the still air, the last question about that mental push was answered. Verpine weapons, especially those meant for assassination or other covert ops, were some of the few that might actually do real damage to _beskar'gam_. _Of course,_ he thought with a smirk,_ it would take more than one shot to actually pierce it._ His theory was about to be tested, since a massive thump slammed into his chest, the Verp's magnetically-accelerated round actually stopping his advance as a round slipped past his guard.

Diving behind a desk for cover, Xel checked his armor and confirmed a millimeter-deep hole in his chestplate. Osik_._

"So, you learned a thing or two from him, did you?"

Xel snarled and peeked around cover just to withdraw as another pellet tore a hole in the desk next to his head.

"Won't matter soon. You're good, but not good enough. You don't have the strength to face me properly."

"Why don't you put down that insect railgun and find out?"

"No thanks. Honorable though it may be taking you on in single combat, I have a job to do, and I can't if I'm dead. I don't fancy taking on another Mando in the first place, much less with a lightsaber."

"You saying you don't have one? After all your Jedi kills, you don't have one?" Xel laughed mockingly. "That's surprising."

"Oh, I have one, all right."

A familiar _snap-hiss_ reached Xel's ears, and he stared at the hilt in his opponent's hand for a moment of panic before reaching out over his Bond to remind him of his brother's continued existence. "That's not yours," he hissed.

"And why not?"

"Because a trophy is only a trophy if its previous owner is dead…which is _not_ gonna happen."

"Such intensity in your words…one might think you have a soft spot for this one."

Caden remained silent.

"Ah…I see. So he's family too. Unfortunate."

Two more Verpine rounds tore into Xel's cover, the pellets going through to barely miss his body.

"You gotta do what you gotta do. It really is nothing personal."

"Like hell." Xel stood up slowly, facing him as he walked out of cover, lightsaber in his hand but turned off as he reached out to the Force. He could almost feel the man smirking behind his helmet.

"So, you mean to test your skills? See if you can move fast enough to deflect my shot?"

Xel's lightsaber rang to life at his side. "Not exactly." His eyes closed as he focused on the man in front of him, on the weapon in his right hand. If there was one thing he'd learned from his father and research about Verpine weapons, it was that they were fragile as all hell. His left hand curled into a claw, and he smiled malevolently behind his faceplate.

The other Mando raised the weapon and squeezed the trigger with a smug feeling in the Force. Xel nearly laughed at his shock when the pistol refused to fire, actually letting out a low chuckle when he inspected the weapon and found its firing pin inexplicably crushed. The youth's fist clenched into a fist, and the rest of the weapon followed, crumping into a ball in the warden's hand. Their t-visors met.

"Well now," the older man said, "seems your sabers aren't the only gifts your old man gave you."

"My 'old man' was a _Mando'ad_, and I was given so much more by both my parents before your _masters_ had them killed."

He bristled at Xel's implication. "Fair enough." The man checked his chrono and tossed the useless pistol aside as he strode toward a nearby window, retracting its metal shutters and tapping a few keys on his gauntlet as Xel advanced. "It's not yet time for our confrontation, boy, but it soon will be." His armored gauntlet slammed into the glass, shattering it and allowing him opportunity to leap out the window, a rocket-equipped jetpack carrying him away from the tower and toward another section of the prison.

Xel was about to chase after him when his comlink sounded.

"Caden," one of the rebel commandos said, "we're in the security center, but we're locked out of all the controls."

"_Shab._ The warden must've expected us to go for it."

"It gets worse. It appears he's set this place for a timed self-destruct in less than nine minutes."

Xel's eyes widened. "Get your men out of here, now."

"But what about the prisoners?"

"I'll take care of our people. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of these lowlifes can burn."

"…Understood, sir."

"Caden out." Xel stormed toward the window, jetting out to follow the warden's smoke trail, knowing he'd be going for an escape vehicle, then contacting Alen over the Bond and informing him of the danger.

…

Imperial prison complex, Lannik

7:30 to detonation

Alen's teeth gritted hard. _"Understood,"_ he sent, closing Xel's Bond and returning his focus to the rest of his team. "We need to get out of here, now. This whole place is rigged to blow. There's a hangar some ways down where we should find a shuttle or some other means of escape."

The rebels looked alarmed but determined as they nodded and followed him, the Jedi brandishing his newly retrieved Bryar as they stormed toward the location Xel had indicated. Running to the end of a long hallway, Alen barely had time to register an alarm from the Force before a blast door slammed shut between him and the rest of his fellow prisoners. His fists thumped on the durasteel portal several times before he tried to focus on the door's locking mechanism and override it with the Force.

"I wouldn't bother, Jedi."

Ice blue eyes snapped open and turned toward the source of the voice. His empty hand clenched into a fist as red-hot anger swept through him for a moment before he shoved it down. "Jes Tenau. Good to finally meet you when I'm not strapped to a chair." He felt the man's amusement.

"The feeling is mutual. I'm afraid I can't let you leave this place alive, though, and I'm on a tight schedule, so our time together will have to be extremely short." He drew a blaster from his left hip, evidently a spare, as his primary holster sat empty at his right.

"A gunfight?" Alen smirked. "Is that really what you want? I mean, after all, where's the fun in killing a Jedi who isn't at his best?" He spread his arms mockingly, giving the Mando an inviting target. Again, dark amusement rolled off the man.

"You know, you're absolutely right." He checked his chrono. "And besides, I have time to spare before this place is rubble."

He reached to the back of his belt and pulled out a familiar metal cylinder, hefting and bouncing it in his left hand tauntingly before it flew out and across the large, high-ceilinged room to land in its owner's hand. Alen's eyes closed as a contented sigh left his body, feeling like a missing piece of himself had just been restored. A familiar, comforting _snap-hiss_ rang out as his eyes opened and stared malevolently at the Mandalorian sixty feet in the distance.

A flash of malicious intent was Alen's only warning before blaster bolts started flying toward him with a rapid pace and surprisingly good accuracy. Blue danced and flashed with green as he deflected one shot after the next, charging at Tenau with the full intent of killing him. The Mando kept firing, scattering his shots everywhere from Alen's center mass to his legs, trying anything and everything to trip him up. The Jedi, for his part, was having quite a bit of trouble keeping up, and that trouble increased the closer he got. Deciding to take a play out of Xel's book, he kept up his defense with his right hand and reached for the holster on his left hip with his left.

Several blaster shots answered Tenau's assault and pelted his armor, which, Alen realized with significant dismay, looked just as impenetrable as Xel's. The Mando laughed off the rounds, but activated his jetpack nonetheless, throwing off Alen's aim and raining down fire from above, forcing him to cease his counterattack and focus on deflection. As his eyes turned upward, however, he spotted a pattern of skeletal girders above his opponent, supports that were keeping the ceiling up. Ice blue eyes closed as Li-am gave himself to the Force, allowing it full control of his saber and body as he focused on those girders, the metal beginning to crack and crumple under the force of his will.

Tenau noticed it a moment before it was too late, and jetted out of the way of falling metal and duracrete—right into Alen's flying kick. The Mando hit the ground with a painful roll, scrambling to his feet with an audible snarl as the Jedi advanced. Several shots rang out as he tried to keep Alen back, then reached to his jetpack with his left hand and pulled off a collapsible metal quarterstaff about the length of his opponent's lightsaber. Violet electricity danced off the surface of the blunt weapon as he blocked a blow aimed at his torso, countering with traded swings and blaster shots that were deflected with some difficulty over the course of thirty seconds, the Jedi backpedaling slightly to keep up his defenses.

Tenau took full advantage of his withdrawal to slam Alen's blade with his quarterstaff, knocking the Jedi momentarily off-balance and his guard away from his chest. The Mando radiated dark glee as he fired into Alen's chest twice, once at his heart, the second time at where his spine would be. The Jedi sputtered incoherently for a few moments, saber hanging in his hand limply as he stumbled backward a step. Tenau's perverse mirth increased as he raised the blaster to his head.

Only to have it cut in half when Alen's saber spun counterclockwise. Tenau instantly reacted, striking him in the head with the pommel of his quarterstaff, stunning him long enough for a solid blow to be landed on his right shoulder. The boy yelled in pain as electricity shot through him, then withdrew and countered with an upward strike, trading blows with the Mando until a strong thrust kick knocked him backward. An equally strong swing separated him from his lightsaber a moment later, and the Mando clenched an iron fist around his throat, lifting him off the ground and slamming him back-first against the wall they had steadily approached during their duel.

Despite his lack of crushgaunts, Tenau's ability to crush Alen's throat was one the Jedi was made acutely aware of. Fingers grasped at the warden's fingers for barely a moment before he realized it was futile and instead stretched out to the Force, barely keeping enough focus to pick up a piece of fallen debris that slammed into Tenau's exposed upper arm hard. The man seethed with rage as he dropped his Jedi opponent and kicked him repeatedly in the side and ribs, the boy barely managing to keep his arms up as a weak defense against his larger enemy's armored attacks.

"Enough!"

Hope rang in Alen's blood at the enraged roar from his right, the hole he'd created in the ceiling having admitted a familiar armored figure who was now pointing two blasters at Jes Tenau, who just chuckled and gave Alen a long look.

"Another time, Jedi," was all he said before his jetpack kicked in, taking him toward the open exit and away from Xel's savage assault.

The Mando in question rushed to his brother's side. "Are you okay?" he asked, alarm heavy in his voice as Alen felt his eyes staring at the burning holes in his tunic.

"Yeah," Alen hissed painfully, pulling the fabric aside to show the blackened but intact armor plate underneath. "No permanent damage."

Xel sighed in relief, then checked his wrist chrono and cursed sharply, only three minutes and forty-five seconds left before detonation. "Get that door open for your people, then get to the hangar. I'm going after him."

Alen nodded grimly. "Be careful."

…

3:30 to detonation

Jes Tenau climbed into his ship, a MandalMotors _Kom'rk-_class fighter, and keyed the engines on just as Xel sprinted into his personal hangar, firing uselessly at his shielded hull. With a rush of malevolent mirth, Tenau activated his ship's laser cannons and opened fire on Caden, the younger Mando leaping behind several large crates that were summarily slagged before Jes saw him stride out into the open, staring at him defiantly through his viewscreen. The warden just gave him a sloppy salute and jetted out of the hangar bay into the open skies of Lannik.

Xel clenched his teeth and cursed sharply in Mando'a before keying his comlink on. "Iola, bring the _Kandosii'tal _to the prison hangar on the east side. Alen and his team are headed there now, and they're gonna need a quick extraction."

"Roger. What about you?"

"I'll find a way. Caden out."

…

2:50 to detonation

"Move!"

The other rebels followed Alen's command with no qualms whatsoever, as it seemed like every stormtrooper in the prison was now converging on their position in the prison's massive hangar bay. Eran's despairing cry was almost as painful as getting kicked repeatedly in the ribs.

"They're gone!" He turned to the others, who had stopped laying down fire on the enemy and ducked behind cover. "Every ship in here is gone! We're trapped!"

Defeat and despair gripped all of them except one, who instead smiled gently, eyes closed.

"No we're not," Alen answered firmly. "We just need to hold out a little longer. Help _is_ coming, I promise."

The soldiers looked skeptical, but still dared to hope. The Jedi had given his word. At the moment, Linn Riilos was watching him draw the attention of every trooper within range with a series of spinning deflects while she was finding a better position to flank the enemy, the others laying down withering fire that cut through their ranks like a hot knife through butter. When she was finally in position, a malevolent smirk made its way onto her face, her procured E-11 charging and firing several times as she let loose a salvo on the unsuspecting Imperial soldiers.

"Linnie, get back here!"

She wondered at her brother's desperate tone and glanced in his direction when blaster fire perforated her cover repeatedly. The girl shrieked and fell onto her back, crawling backward as a squad of stormtroopers advanced toward her from some distance away, most of them turning their attention to the Jedi, who was trying to get to Linn to no avail. One, however, was not deterred, and at just twenty feet away, he had a clear shot.

"No!" Eran roared.

Her green eyes widened to their max as the soldier pulled the trigger, the whine of his blaster's discharge filling her ears and eyes slamming shut as the crimson bolt streaked death toward her. She was almost too adrenaline-overcharged to hear the ringing _snap-hiss _of another lightsaber coming to life. When a full second passed and nothing happened, she opened her eyes and looked up to see an image that had haunted her week in captivity now standing between her and a bloody death.

And holding an ignited lightsaber in his hand.

Green eyes once again went circular as the Mandalorian deftly deflected several more shots before raising his right hand in a clenching motion. Linn looked past him to see her would-be killer seizing and sputtering madly before dropping to the ground, limp and dead as a boned fish. And then he turned to her, that deadly blade held in his left hand as he outstretched his right. She stared at him for an instant, for that moment blinded by the incredible light of the sunset reflecting off his armor and visor, before taking his hand and being hauled to her feet with incredible speed and strength.

"Go," the man said firmly and reassuringly, nodding toward the hangar exit. "I'll cover you."

Just then, she noticed that a ship was actually flying into the room and landing all the way at the far end. Linn gave her rescuer a nod before sprinting toward it like a madwoman, adrenaline and fear lending speed to her steps as the crackles and whines of deflections rang from behind her.

…

1:50 to detonation

Xel's lightsaber twirled and spun as he deflected bolt after bolt, the stormtroopers hard-pressed to advance on two saber-wielding opponents with such skill. The Mando turned to his brother, still blocking shots. "Go! Fall back to cover them!"

Alen gave him a stiff nod before withdrawing, still batting away whatever flew in his direction as Xel took the full brunt of their attacks. The Force filled the younger boy as he called on his anger and reached out to the ceiling above his enemies. The metal supports buckled and snapped with his efforts, dumping chunk after chunk of duracrete on the troopers as he began pacing backward, saber flashing with every stray bolt to fly his way. Adopting a more mobile approach, he rolled behind cover and drew a blaster, setting it to automatic fire and pelting the Imperials with crimson plasma while continuing to dodge and deflect.

Alen, for his part, was standing by the entrance ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_, covering the others as they filed on one by one, the Jedi running down the clock as he waited for them all to board. Finally, Linn sprinted up the ramp just as Xel jetted into the air and fired two wrist rockets that scattered the enemy forces and sent bodies flying in several directions.

"Xel!" Alen yelled across the gap, the _Kandosii _starting to take off as he stood at the edge of the ramp.

The Mando holstered his pistol and sprinted toward the ship, the Force lending speed to his steps as the timer ran down to a mere twenty-five seconds. Armored steps resounded through the echoing chamber as well as the repeated fire of E-11s as he flew across the room. The _Kandosii'tal_ was hovering in place, but Xel could _feel_ the pilot's intense fear.

"Jump!" someone yelled as he got within twenty feet of the ship.

Xel leapt over a fallen crate, then jumped for another stack, vaulting over the lowest one to boost himself higher before handspringing off another to land on the topmost crate in a ten-foot stack. His feet hit the ground for barely a moment before he launched off again, flying twenty feet through the air with his hand outstretched as Alen's and Eran's clamped over it, yanking him aboard.

"Go, go, go!" the Jedi yelled furiously, prompting a rapid acceleration on Iola's part as they streaked away from the doomed prison.

The complex exploded mere seconds later, blossoming in a mushroom cloud of fire and smoke as the _Kandosii'tal_ bore its passengers to safety.

…

The Kandosii'tal, Lannik

Iola's hands were shaking when Xel gently pulled them away from the controls with one hand, activating the ship's autopilot with the other and easing her from the chair.

"Relax, _Iol'ika_," he said softly, patting her back. "You did great."

She flashed him a small, relieved smile before her eyes locked onto an approaching Alen and her shaking legs carried her into a near-tackle of the Jedi. Xel grinned behind his helmet as his brother let out a small, pained laugh, his ribs probably screaming in protest. The rest of the rebels looked too tired and relieved to notice anything except the warmth, both in the Jedi's reunion with his crewmate and the "uncharacteristic" display of affection Xel showed her. Eran stared at him with narrowed eyes and crossed arms, the Mando's visor turning to face him dead-on. Surprisingly enough, he didn't turn away or seem intimidated, just curious.

"Don't look so surprised," Xel said with a slight sneer as he dropped into the copilot's seat and began checking his ship's systems and scopes for any signs of trouble. Barely ten seconds later, he felt a presence at his shoulder and turned to face it with some annoyance. It faded when he saw the outstretched hand.

"I owe you an apology," Eran said genuinely. "I'm sorry, both for mistrusting you and doubting your loyalty. I had no cause for either."

"I think we _all_ owe him an apology," Linn said, the other two in her squad rising to their feet and looking contrite.

Xel took a breath and looked away before shaking Eran's hand. "Apology accepted."

To his surprise, the man smiled and leaned closer, speaking in low tones. "You saved my sister's life. I won't easily forget that."

Caden smirked, letting some mirth leak into his filtered voice. "I appreciate it." He sighed and smiled wider as he saw Alen and Iola talking, the two looking very comfortable with each other on a bench near the entrance of the armory, then turned back to the controls, shaking his head. Another relieved sigh left him, and before he knew it, his helmet seal was popped, and the _buy'ce _was laid on the dashboard. A series of gasps, one of them quite loud, resounded from behind him. His head turned to face the sources and eyes saw all four of the rescued rebels staring at him with gaping mouths.

"Just…how old are you?" Linn asked.

Xel smirked. "Fourteen." He nodded toward Alen. "Just like him."

If possible, their mouths and eyes widened even more, and because he just couldn't help himself, Xel laughed loudly and infectiously, the entire ship's occupants joining in involuntarily a few moments later. When he had enough breath to speak, Xel ordered, "You betray our secret, and you're dead." The grin plastered to his face betrayed his stern tone.

They broke out into fits of laughter once again, Eran the first to recover, though tears of joy and relief were streaming down his face nonetheless.

"I have…_definitely_ underestimated you, Xel Caden."

"Don't worry." The Mando shrugged, his grin fading to a warm smile. "It's a pretty common mistake where I'm concerned."

* * *

AN: Hope you enjoyed the duels with Tenau. I really wanted to show why Mandos even without the Force are feared by _everyone_, including the Jedi. His character will make appearances in the future to emphasize this point and keep the story rolling.

On a less happy note, I got my first flame review today...unfortunate but unavoidable. Since it was a guest review, I mentally debated whether or not to delete it as spam. As evidenced by the unhappy run-on sentence currently in my review pool, I eventually decided against it. Always necessary to have a reminder that there are puritans (see H.L. Mencken for my implication) in the crowd...uncomfortable and unwanted as that may be. -_-

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: As Riilos' team and the crew of the _Kandosii'tal _lick their wounds, preparations for the rebel assault on Lannik are made, with both teams on the ground prioritized to a secret installation with unknown purpose.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones – Jango's Escape: start-1:57—Alen and Tenau duel, 1:57-2:31—Xel's intervention and chase, 2:31-3:08—_Kom'rk_ barrage, Tenau's escape, Xel calls in backup

Star Wars: Republic Commando – Parjai (Victory): start-0:27—"I promise" to Xel's deflect, 0:27-0:47—Xel's rescue to Linn's sprint, 0:47-1:30—lightsaber defense to "Xel!", 1:30-end—Xel's run and leap, the _Kandosii'tal_ escapes


	27. Operation Deathmarch, Part IV

AN: I don't consider myself a particularly emotional person—at least not with outward expression, so it surprised me when I found that the flame review I got last week affected me enough for me to add the following author note—even if the arsonist never reads it.

* * *

Dear Alone Aroused,

It fills me with great sadness and angst to read your review and, though you are entitled to your opinion, I would appreciate it if A: you would not share it in a run-on sentence (with missing words—seriously, this hurts me in my soul), and B: you would give a little explanation as to why you feel that way. If you have genuine concerns, I'm more than happy to listen, but if your sole purpose is to troll...well...

*Batglare*

It. Is. Unappreciated.

As for your last two remarks, you should know, _auretii_, that I'm as stubborn as Mandalorian iron, and passionate to a fault where my writing is concerned, so A: I will _NOT _be leaving this site, and B: I'm _shabla _well gonna keep writing. Why? Because I have a story to tell, and as long as _someone_ is willing to listen, it will be told.

I do appreciate the time you took to remark on my story—even in a negative way—so please don't take this the wrong way, but—_usen'ye_. Because of you, _n__i gana aaray_. And I don't particularly like it.

Sincerely,  
CDrake

* * *

And without further ado, chapter 28.

* * *

They broke out into fits of laughter once again, Eran the first to recover, though tears of joy and relief were streaming down his face nonetheless.

"I have…_definitely_ underestimated you, Xel Caden."

"Don't worry." The Mando shrugged, his grin fading to a warm smile. "It's a pretty common mistake where I'm concerned."

…

1 hour later

The Kandosii'tal, Lannik

7 months BBY

Xel turned in his seat as he let the ship's autopilot carry them toward Alen's shuttle, standing up and striding into the armory to strip off his armor plates. Linn, with some fascination, stood watching him in the doorway, forehead creased with a frown of concentration.

"You know," the Mando said as he laid a gauntlet on his workbench, "if I were anyone else, I'd say all that staring is creepy."

The younger Riilos blinked and blushed a lovely shade of red, especially when Xel gave her a toothy grin. "Well, excuse me for being curious," she answered defensively, crossing her arms to complete the picture.

"I did say if I were anyone else. I get enough stares while in armor to know it fascinates people." He cringed at the sizable ding in his chestplate where Tenau's Verpine had hit before laying it down. "Not many people get to see me out of it."

Linn smirked. "Then I should consider myself lucky." Her smirk faded slowly as her expression became solemn. "In more ways than one." Green met blue. "If you hadn't been there…" The girl shuddered. "I don't even wanna think about it. Don't want to think about what it would have done to Eran."

Xel frowned deeply. "I understand completely." He unstrapped his jetpack and laid in next to his armor plates, removing his shin and thigh plates and stacking everything neatly before pulling cleaning agents and a rag from his toolbox. _Damn that merc,_ he thought bitterly, dragging the rough cloth over the knothole in his chestplate. "So what next?"

Linn's eyebrows shot up. "You're asking _me_?"

"Right. Eran's your team's leader."

"I don't even think _he_ knows."

A loud beeping came from the cockpit, prompting both of them to rejoin the rest of the exhausted passengers. Xel pressed a button that activated his holoprojector.

Hile Tobin's pale blue figure appeared and wore a tight smile. "Mr. Caden."

"Commander Tobin," he responded respectfully.

"I just heard from my people. Said you evacuated them from the prison before it went up in flames." Tobin gave him a nod. "Exemplary job getting them out of there. Getting _all_ of them out of there. Not a single man or woman was lost."

Xel tipped his head. "Just doing my job."

Tobin shook his head. "Hardly. Your job was to rescue my people, no matter the cost. You put two of them out of danger knowing you'd be increasing your own risk."

Xel's face flashed surprise.

"Tannis and Cole told me what you did. You think they'd forget that?"

He remained silent.

"Regardless, you've done a great thing today. I'm afraid, sadly, that you're not yet done." Tobin clicked something on his end, sending an image of Lannik to their end. "We were poring over those files you sent, and discovered an alarming number of military research centers and factories all over the planet. They're building armor, weaponry, and other kit for an all-out assault on the Rebellion, codenamed Operation Deathmarch."

By now, the entirety of the crew was standing or sitting nearby, listening with rapt attention. _Funny_, Xel thought in slight amusement, _I've known most of these people for less than a week and I'm already thinking of them as my crew._

"What are the specifics of this 'operation'?" Eran questioned.

Tobin smiled at him warmly. "Sergeant Riilos. Good to see you in one piece."

Eran smiled back slightly and nodded for him to continue.

"As of yet, our intel is still vague. The encryption on the file the Consultant sent us is pretty hefty; got two ships' worth of analysts working on it and after a week all we have are the locations of Imperial facilities." Red dots appeared all over the Lannik image. "Specific functions and goals are still unknown."

"That's what you need _us_ for, isn't it?" Xel asked.

Tobin nodded. "In good time. I have another three commando teams headed to Lannik now. Alliance Command is definitely taking this seriously."

"That's a relief," Linn muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.

Xel raised an eyebrow before returning his attention to Tobin. "What do you need us to do in the meantime?"

Another dot, this one green, appeared on the display. "Rendezvous with the squads already there and set up a base camp in the mountains, somewhere tucked out of sight."

"Roger," Eran answered with a crisp salute. "We'll get it done, sir."

Tobin saluted back. "Once it's done, see to your men, Sergeant. Make sure they're at 100 percent when help arrives."

"Will do, sir. Thank you."

"Mr. Caden—"

The Mando raised a hand. "Just Xel, sir, or Caden, if you insist on being formal."

Rather than being offended by the merc's interruption, Tobin chuckled slightly. "Of course. Make sure they get there safe."

"Actually, if there's nothing you need me and my crew for, I'd like to assist them in establishing that foothold."

Both the squad at his side and the commander raised their eyebrows. The latter chuckled again.

"Took the words right out of my mouth. After the week you've all been through, I can only imagine how much you'd like to rest."

Xel gave him a nod. "Thank you, Commander."

"One more thing." By both the way he said it and the almost grimacing expression on his face, the commander felt like he was treading on eggshells. "Until further notice, Sergeant Riilos and the remainder of his team are under the command of Mr. Caden."

Several jaws dropped in the room. Caden's, amazingly, wasn't one of them, though it desperately wanted to be.

"With all due respect, sir—" Eran started.

Tobin held up his hands to cut him off. "Don't argue with me, Sergeant."

"How can I not? I mean, it's not like I don't trust him to take care of us…" Eran looked at Xel earnestly. "I do. It's just…he's not even officially a part of the Alliance, a mercenary, and you want to put him in charge? How well do you think that's gonna go over with Command?"

"At this point," Tobin said somewhat agitatedly, "Command can suck Gundark eggs for all the help they've been. And I'm giving the orders, not them. If you trust him to get the job done, Riilos, then I don't see the problem, and no offense, but you're already down two men."

Eran looked down, face heating up. "Not my fault," he muttered.

"I know, but the fact is, Xel's proven he can get results, and until reinforcements arrive, I'm not willing to split up my assets on an Imperial-overrun world. The Consultant is in charge. For now."

Sergeant Riilos looked less than pleased, but nodded stiffly.

"Now if there's nothing else?"

No one spoke up.

"Then may the Force be with you."

Tobin's hologram winked out of existence a moment before Xel slumped into the pilot's seat, finally allowing his scowl to show.

Eran crossed his arms. "I'd have thought you'd be happier. I mean, you were already ordering me around before," he quipped.

"That was different," Xel muttered.

"Uh huh. Sure. And telling my sister to get on your ship?"

The Mando looked at him incredulously, mouth slightly open. "That was as a friend, or at the least a comrade, not an order!" Blue eyes could see a grin fighting for control of the older man's face, then rolled in realization as Xel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, I get it," he deadpanned.

The room burst into laughter for the second time since their collective near-death experience.

"Yeah, yeah," Xel griped, "go ahead. Tease your new CO why don't you." He turned back to the controls and moved his hands over them almost absently. "See if I don't give you maintenance duty for the rest of the day," he muttered under his breath. Obviously, he wasn't quiet enough.

"Sure," Treyvan quipped from a bench, "if you want your ship to keel over on its next landing."

Xel glared at him.

He raised his hands placatingly. "Relax, I was just kidding."

Caden's expression softened. "In all seriousness though, why me? Why not Alen?" He motioned to the teen in question. "He _is_ a Jedi after all."

"Perhaps," Alen responded in his annoying mystic tone, "but everyone here knows you're the one in charge of our little trio. And considering your experience in the field utterly dwarfs mine, I'd say that's a good thing."

"I wouldn't," Xel muttered darkly, eyes down.

Both Alen and Iola's expressions changed subtly.

"Look," the Jedi said softly, "I'm the Jedi, but you're the soldier. Right now, we need a soldier, someone who can think both tactically and objectively in the heat of a fight."

"Not sure the latter really applies to me," Xel admitted.

Alen grimaced at the reminder. "Regardless, I still think you're the better choice for the job, and since Tobin agrees, it's out of our hands."

Xel raised an eyebrow, then turned to face the rest of the crew. "Just so you all know, I don't really _take _orders very well, so…if anyone cares to take my position, feel free to speak up."

No one spoke for a while until Eran's quiet voice was heard, his expression grim. "Well…considering I got almost half my team killed last time _I_ was in command…"

Linn put a hand on his shoulder as Xel gave him a knowing look.

"Trust me," the Mando said darkly, "I know the feeling." The ship began to descend as he took the controls and set them down next to the T-6. "First things first, though. Settling in."

…

3 hours later

Rebel encampment, Lannik

"Got it!"

Xel gave the commando a nod as he released the tent support, allowing the rebels to handle the remaining preparations and ducking into his own shelter, the camouflaged shack much less high-profile than his ship. His father's Blackjack sat against a crate of ammunition and power packs, the assault cannon he recovered from Voss laid across the top. His Mando APs sat in their customary holsters on his belt, as did his lightsaber and Telia's. He pulled the latter off its clip and sat on another crate, exhaling slowly and inspecting the weapon absently, mind blank.

"I noticed it before," a voice said from the entrance, "but I didn't quite believe it."

Xel didn't meet his appraising gaze. "You should have it." He looked up from the saber. "After all…you knew her your whole life." Caden held out the weapon in one hand, hilt-first. "You should have it."

Alen stared at the weapon, mouth slightly open, his expression unreadable. His left hand reached out to Xel's partially open hand…and pushed it back toward him. His right hand closed his brother's fingers around the hilt.

"But…" Xel stuttered, shaking his head slightly and meeting Alen's eyes. "Why?" He noticed red rimming those ice blue eyes, tears stinging at his own as his voice cracked. "Alen, I failed her. Twice. She's dead because I wasn't fast or strong enough." Xel broke eye contact and stared at the weapon, curling his fingers around it hard. "A better son would have saved her." A long, uncomfortable silence passed.

"A better son?"

The question was so soft and broken, Xel almost mistook it for the wind.

"A better son?" Alen repeated, fists clenching at his sides. He turned and leaned back against a wall, staring up at the ceiling as glistening orbs streamed down his face. A sardonic smirk made its way to his lips. "Xel…you were there. Both times, you were there."

Caden just kept staring at him in confusion. "And I failed, yes."

"No," the Jedi breathed out, pacing and pinching the bridge of his nose, liquid falling from his cheeks. "You don't understand, Xel." He met his brother's eyes. "You were _there_." He paused for a moment. "I wasn't."

Xel's jaw dropped slightly.

Alen slumped back into a seat, fingers spearing through his two-inch hair. "You're right. I knew her my whole life, but when it came down to it, it was you who was there for her, not me." He smirked sardonically. "A better son?" He looked up at Xel. "If you're a bad son, Xel, then I'm atrocious."

"Alen," Xel breathed out, hands running through his own hair as he paced. "_Shab_."

"The bottom line," Alen choked, "is that it's not your fault. It's not mine either. That—" he pointed square at Telia's saber, "—is _all_ on the Sith."

Xel stayed silent, standing and facing his brother, arms at his sides.

"So keep it," the Jedi added. "Keep it as a reminder. It's not your fault."

Caden stared at the weapon, eyes narrowed slightly before closing. "Thank you." He clipped it to his belt and crossed his arms. _It's a reminder all right._ Anger filled him once again even as he hid it from Alen.

"Hey."

The brothers faced the door, Alen's face dried and recomposed.

Treyvan En jerked his thumb outside the shelter. "The others are already assembled for a briefing."

"The others," Xel deadpanned. "Meaning?"

"Um…your…team?"

The Mando groaned slightly and rolled his eyes, marching toward the door. "All right, _Al'ika_, let's get this over with."

"Who?" En asked.

"Oh," Alen said, "it's just something he calls me on occasion."

Xel saw an opportunity and took it with a smirk. "It means 'little Alen' in Mando'a." Caden barely held in busting laughter at the crimson that filled his brother's face.

"He didn't need to know that," Alen said through clenched teeth.

The Mando just grinned. "It's a sign of affection," he added before walking off.

…

2 minutes later

The entire team was indeed assembled, as Xel and Alen found them, the former grinning and mentally arm-pumping at finally having their positions reversed with regard to teasing. The latter was still scowling a little, but suppressed it to put on a good face for the men…not that it fooled anyone for a second. Linn shot a smile in their direction as her brother approached the pair.

"Well, sir," he said, "what are your orders?"

Xel's smile faded instantly, replaced by an expression of grim focus, arms tucked over one another as he crossed them. _Never been in charge of my own unit before._ His eyes closed for a moment or two as he considered their next logical move before snapping open. "Specialties."

"Sir?"

He uncrossed his arms. "I need to know your specialties, skill sets, whatever you want to call them. I need to know what I have at my disposal."

Eran looked at his former team and hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Well, my 'expertise,' if you could call it that, lies in tactics and reconnaissance. I've also been known to pilot every once in a while."

The Weequay stood up. "Goros Ijul, demolitions and sabotage."

"Treyvan En, infiltration and elimination."

"Linn Riilos," the girl said at last, "supplies and requisition."

Xel noticed the slight red that tinged her cheeks and the way she averted her eyes. "So, you're our quartermaster." He gave her an approving nod. "Good. Wars are impossible to fight if logistics are shot to _haran_, and considering how outnumbered and outgunned we are, your job is going to be especially important."

Linn's jaw dropped slightly as she turned an even deeper shade of red.

Caden smiled. "Relax. You'll do fine."

The girl fidgeted. "Well, we're not exactly career military, so…"

"Riilos," he gently interrupted, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You'll do fine."

She gulped and nodded, meeting his gaze for barely a second before her eyes flitted away. "Yes sir."

Xel retracted his hand and sighed gently, looking around at his new team for a few moments. "I want you all to know that until further notice, 'speaking freely' is a right. If you have an idea, speak up. I don't care how farfetched or offhanded it seems. We're fighting a twenty-man war against the Empire right now, which means guerilla fighting, hiding in plain sight, and recovering intel for the assault force supposed to back us up." He smirked wryly. "And I can't very well do _all_ the thinking on this team, now can I?"

That brought smiles to the rebels and a few chuckles.

"In all seriousness, though, I need your help, so don't be afraid to come to me with anything that comes up."

"Yes sir," they answered in chorus.

"What are your orders?" Eran asked again.

Xel tucked one arm under another, his right supporting his chin as he paced. "We need to establish recon of those Imperial facilities. I'll be sending you a data packet transmitted to us by Commander Tobin. Isolate anything that looks overly classified or important, because it probably means we need to know more. Eran, once we decide on a target, it'll be your responsibility to come up with a recon team among the commandos that are with us. En, Ijul, you'll be our tactical strikers. Tobin gave us virtual autonomy until backup arrives, so if I deem a target's destruction necessary, you'll be responsible for taking it out with your particular skill sets."

They both nodded.

"Linn."

"Sir," she said sharply, straightening a little.

He arched an eyebrow. "First off, we don't have the time or luxury of standing on ceremony, so…don't feel you have to call me 'sir' or salute me. In fact, it's probably better if you didn't show any signs of deference at all. If an enemy sniper were to spot that, they'd know I'm the man to kill." He smirked almost imperceptibly. _Though it's not like they could._ "Second, you'll be in charge of requisitions for any tactical insertions as well as cataloguing anything we retrieve from said missions. If we can add to our firepower or equipment with Imperial tech, we will."

She nodded, cheeks still burning a little as she relaxed a bit.

"Alen…" Xel hesitated before shrugging. "You and Iola…can do whatever it is you do best."

The Jedi and his partner made a concerted effort not to laugh, the former regaining his composure after a moment, though his voice still contained traces of laughter. "Will do."

Caden noticed for the first time that a small crowd of rebel commandos had gathered around them and were staring squarely at him. The attention unsettled him, not that he showed it any. "I take it you heard the news?"

A rumble of affirmatives rolled through the group.

He sighed. "I don't particularly like my reassignment any more than you do, but I'm ready to make it work if you are. Tobin effectively put you under my command, and until reinforcements arrive, we're all that's left of the Rebellion here on Lannik. Our mission, until further notice, is to gather intel, establish an underground infrastructure, and generally make the Imperials' lives a living hell." He raised his hands at his sides. "Agreed?"

A universal whoop of assent swept the rebels.

Xel smiled malevolently. "Then let's get to work."

…

4 weeks later

Lannik

Resistance is a funny thing, as Xel quickly discovered over the course of his mission. Entire days were spent just staying out of sight, in some cases, while others were filled with relentless recon and sabotage missions. They'd even managed to take out several high-ranking Imperial officers in the interim before reinforcements were to arrive. All in all, 95% of the planet's installations had been observed, at least from the outside. Tobin had also been in frequent contact, giving them more intel from the decrypted files as it came in. The bioweapon factories and T-7 disruptor production facilities were already marked as primary targets, and Caden had commissioned Ijul and En to plant explosives, traps, and otherwise begin sabotaging said facilities.

Of course, that typically meant Ijul made said explosives and traps, and En infiltrated the facilities to plant them. Given that Imperials were prejudiced toward aliens, he rightly assumed that the human-looking Epicanthix would draw less attention. Everything was in place for a full-scale assault when the time came, and any minute now, the clock would finally run to zero. Xel's heart was racing with anticipation. Over the course of the month, he had come to know his immediate teammates better. Ijul was something of a strong, quiet type, much like himself, but the man was surprisingly articulate for a Weequay; his species' reputation certainly did him no credit.

En was a bit of a prankster, though not a particularly good one. His reasons for opposing the Empire were somewhat murky and vague even now, but as long as he stayed loyal, Xel didn't care. His own reasons were less than heroic. Eran and Linn were idealists, plain and simple, so much so that Xel found himself almost gagging on occasion at the thick atmosphere of sanctimony that surrounded them. The girl was a year younger than her brother at age 21, yet her skills were surprisingly developed for someone with her supposed inexperience. That, Eran had said, was due mostly to their lineage.

The Riilos family was from Corellia, and their father, Sparat Riilos, had been a decorated war hero in the Clone Wars. In nearly every war faced by the Old Republic, the Riilos family had participated and distinguished themselves. Because of this, the Empire took quite the antagonistic stance toward them, looking for any opportunity to discredit or even eliminate them. Because of Corellians' fierce desire for independence, they chafed under the Empire's rule and eventually supported Sparat's outspoken stance against the Empire. Despite his non-militant approach, the Imperials rightly saw him as a threat and took steps to silence him. Those steps made his children orphans, and nearly corpses themselves. If their father had not foreseen the attack, they too would have perished. Instead, they passed into the guardianship of Imperial Senator Garm Bel Iblis, who eventually became one of the founding members of the Rebellion, or as it was formally called, the "Alliance to Restore the Republic."

Xel wasn't the only one curious about motivations, though, and both Riilos rebels had pestered him with questions, especially about his Mandalorian heritage. They were pleasantly surprised at the amount of depth in his culture, and Xel just had to smile at the looks of shock on their faces as he described in detail just how important family was, both to him and the _Mando'ade_ in general. Eran looked more than a little guilty, given how he'd doubted the Mando's devotion to his brother, but Xel assured him it was a common misconception among _auretiise_.

After that particular conversation, Eran had been somewhat aloof from his acting CO, but his sister had no such reservations. Quite to the contrary, one could hardly see Xel without Linn hanging somewhere nearby…not that he particularly noticed. His mind had other, far more pressing concerns. The issue of Jes Tenau was particularly troubling, and after the conversations he'd had with his brother on the subject, Xel was even more convinced he had to be stopped.

"Think I finally figured out why Mandos are famed for killing Jedi," Alen had said.

"Oh?" Xel had asked. "Why's that?"

"Because he nearly killed me in the first thirty seconds of our fight, and if you hadn't stepped in, he would have."

Xel had looked at the ground grimly, lips pursed tightly. "Then we train. I learned to fight like a Jedi. It's time you learned to fight like a Mando."

And he had, to some extent. Four weeks wasn't all that much time, especially as preoccupied as they were, but Alen had the same aptitude for combat abilities that Xel did and the same rapid learning. Both of them voraciously devoured knowledge and techniques, their hunger for both near-insatiable in the limited downtime they had, learning from both the holocrons and each other. As of yet, Caden had yet to reach fully practical application of his knowledge regarding the Dark Side of the Force, most of it taught from a defensive, rather than offensive, standpoint.

Master Orgus was still less than keen on the intensity with which Xel hungered for darker techniques, but the boy's attitude was more far more protective than aggressive, despite his overarching mission. The opportunity to cut loose had not come yet, but it would. He could sense it. Xel's next confrontation with Darth Vader was inevitable, but still some distance off, and he intended to be fully prepared when it happened. For now, all he could do was try his hardest to keep his men and brother alive…and hope his past failures weren't a concrete pattern.

Tobin was calling a meeting over holocom, prompting the rebels planetside to gather around the glowing pedestal, Xel's helmet clutched under his left arm.

"Thank you all for coming," said Tobin. "As of this moment, the Rebel Fleet is within striking distance of Lannik, no more than a standard hour out."

Universal whoops rushed through the assembled crowd.

"That said," the commander shouted over the clamor, hands raised, "there is still more preparatory work to be done. More specifically, you're all being assigned to attack a single target once the operation begins." He keyed something on his end and projected a schematic of a large building in the upper plateaus of the northern hemisphere. "We've discovered a secret factory building far removed from anything else the Imperials have on Lannik. The details are sketchy, considering the file on it was even more heavily encrypted than the rest of the data packet and it's one of the few sites you were unable to recon.

"Since your teams have been exponentially more effective than we anticipated, you've been assigned this task by Alliance Command. Get inside, find out the facility's purpose, and eradicate it."

"We'll get it done, sir," Xel said with certainty.

Tobin smiled at him. "I know you will. Alliance Command was, shall we say…astonished to find that I put several of our commando teams under the command of a consultant, but they can hardly argue with your results. Neither can I. Far as I'm concerned, so long as both you and the men under your command agree, you will stay in command of these squads."

Xel winced. "All due respect, sir, but this was an emergency situation. I'm an operative, not a commander."

Tobin smiled gravely. "As you wish. I would still like you to retain operational command of Sergeant Riilos' team, however, at least until we can get it back up to full strength."

Xel and Eran exchanged a look before the former spoke. "Agreed. Can you give us any additional intel on the target?"

Tobin's expression darkened as he shook his head. "I'm afraid not. You're flying somewhat blind here, Caden, so tread carefully. The operation will commence at 0800 local time. Good luck, and may the Force be with us. Tobin out."

The hologram vanished as the rebels turned away one by one, all directing their attention to Xel, who was staring blankly at the ground.

Eran spoke up first. "What now, sir?"

He met the man's gaze. "Now we recon the facility, find out what we can before the fleet arrives. He said to take everyone, so get to your ships and form up on mine. We fly out in ten."

"Yes sir!" they chorused.

…

30 minutes later

0727 Lannik time

Xel's face was scrunched into a deep frown at the facility off in the distance, not on a platform like the now-demolished prison, but on a large plateau at the top of a mountain rise. His built-in macrobinoculars were zoomed in fully, giving him a good look at the guards patrolling the walls and the anti-air weaponry placed on certain sections. Some were obviously stormtroopers, regular Imperial soldiers, some officers, and others were in nondescript, almost civilian clothing. If he didn't have the eye of a hunter, he'd have mistaken the rigid bulges and stiff curves around their joints for extra muscle instead of concealed armor. He zoomed out with a shake of his head, crouching back down behind the rocks they were using for cover and facing his team of over a dozen soldiers.

"Mercs and Imperial regulars," he said, "at least two dozen of them on this side alone." A collective groan from the troops prompted him to roll his eyes. "Oh, _k'atini_, _di'kute_! It's not that bad."

They fell silent after a few moments, knowing from the last four weeks of experience the intent, if not the meaning, behind his _Mando'a_.

"Corporal En and I will get close, then plant some of Ijul's explosives on that wall. If it's ray shielded, we may have to take other measures, but for now we stick to the plan. I'll comm. the rest of you when the path is clear…or you'll hear an explosion and come running. Whichever comes first. Bottom line, we need to take that wall and punch a hole inside. When the fleet gets here, they'll have a lot more to worry about than little old us, so we wait to detonate until the operation commences."

They all gave a rumble of assent, En moving to form up behind the Mandalorian. The dim dawn sun cast deep shadows across the rocky terrain, giving the pair some concealment as they moved up. The climb wasn't too steep, but it did slow them down enough for some concern. After all, they were relatively exposed, and if one of those guards spotted them…

"Down!" Xel whispered loudly, shoving En behind a large rock as he hit the deck and hid in a small, dusty trench.

"Thanks," the Epicanthix mouthed to him when he saw the stormtrooper looking over the wall a moment later.

Xel just nodded and made a gesture with his hand, the trooper looking the other way and moving off to investigate a moment later. All in all, their stealthy approach took them over twenty minutes to reach the relative safety of the wall, no surveillance cameras posted on their end. Xel gave En a nod, and the older man pulled a series of shaped charges from a satchel at his hip, silently planting them at three-foot intervals across a small section of the wall. When it was done, Caden inspected his work, then gave a thumbs-up and made to go back to the rest of the team.

That's when they heard the roar of several repulsor engines powering up.

The Mando and his teammate snapped their eyes to the sky, watching with squinting eyes until the former powered up his macrobinoculars and took a closer look at the dark shapes coming from the factory. What he saw didn't make sense, so he blinked a few more times before realizing what he was looking at.

"Those are…droids," he said.

…

Like any droids, they had been given an objective to complete. What he couldn't know was that their particular mission was something of a test run. They were being sent to a minor civilian center to eliminate suspected rebel sympathizers and anyone who was unauthorized to be in Imperial territory. That, unfortunately for Caden, included his team. The thermal scanners of the automatons picked up trace heat signatures in the rocks below, and when one swooped in for a closer scan, its combat systems started to prime.

"Unauthorized personnel acquired," it transmitted to the five others in its group.

The rest formed up behind it in a V maneuver as they descended toward the rebels hiding in the rocks, touching down just twenty feet away as their right arms deployed energy shields. Their thundering steps brought them toward their targets and their very first engagement.

…

"What the hell _are_ those things?!" Eran yelled over comms.

"I don't know," Xel answered, "but I'm guessing they're what we're after." He rapidly checked his chrono and clenched his teeth at the time. _Ten minutes. Hope Tobin doesn't kick me to the curb if I start the party early._ "The moment blaster fire rings out, the guards'll be onto us."

"That's assuming they aren't already."

"A fair point." Xel scowled deeply, placing several detpacks along the length of the wall. "Do not engage until the last second. We're on our way." Caden nodded to En, who, together with him, broke off into a sprint down the rise.

"You there, stop!"

Xel barely gave the trooper a glance before smirking and detonating every explosive attached to that wall. The resulting explosion was…brilliant. Duracrete and metal shattered and ignited in a mushrooming conflagration that blew a gigantic hole in the fence, sending most of its occupants flying in several directions and the rest scrambling for what stable cover they could get. The droids noticed the explosion and turned toward the running pair, two of them focusing on Xel and En as the rest continued to advance toward the other rebels. As they put up a shield wall, Caden got a good look at them for the first time.

Standing just over ten feet tall, their bodies were made of alternatingly dark gray and black metals, their heads staring with blank, black optics. Cables and armor were present in equal amounts, and Xel had to wonder what the inspiration for these monstrosities was. Upon closer inspection of the heads, though, the template hit him with startling clarity. His teeth and fists clenched as he and Treyvan approached. _Vader._ The massive automatons held firm as Xel and En kept running, drawing blasters as they closed to around thirty feet.

When the blue energy blades deployed from their left arms, En faltered and came to a stop, as did Xel.

"Well…_shab_." Xel's lightsaber fell into his right hand, unignited but at the ready, jaw clenching as he gave his distant brother a glance before returning his gaze to the massive droids in front of him. "That complicates things."

* * *

AN: If anyone can guess what exactly these machines are and post it in a review, I'll post the next chapter the day after.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Xel and his team are in for the fight of their lives when Lannik's biggest secret is unveiled. Will they survive against the Empire's newest superweapons?


	28. Operation Deathmarch, Part V

The massive automatons held firm as Xel and En kept running, drawing blasters as they closed to around thirty feet.

When the blue energy blades deployed from their left arms, En faltered and came to a stop, as did Xel.

"Well…_shab_." Xel's lightsaber fell into his right hand, unignited but at the ready, jaw clenching as he gave his distant brother a glance before returning his gaze to the massive droids in front of him. "That complicates things."

…

0758 Lannik time

Imperial Purge Trooper factory, Lannik

6 months BBY

"Get down!"

The rebel commandos complied as a massive mechanical body landed on a massive boulder, sending a large chunk of rock rolling toward the team. Alen's Bryar pistol fired several times, the bolts easily absorbed by the armor of the nearest droid.

"Yeah," Alen breathed, "…complicated…I can see it." He turned to the rest of the team. "Fall back!" _No time for holding back._ His blaster met its holster as his lightsaber flashed to life, the Jedi standing between the imposing, ten-foot figure and his comrades.

It dashed forward one massive step, its energy blade swinging toward him hard. Alen sidestepped rapidly, his own sword redirecting the incoming strike downward as he tried to counter, the droid's energy shield taking his blow and repelling it. The Jedi called on the Force and leapt over its head, spinning midair to land in a crouch and drive a hard stab into one of its knee joints. The blade went in with some effort, a surprise to Alen, and the trooper fell to its crippled knee, but turned its torso all the same, slashing its blade at his head. His lightsaber deactivated just in time for him to roll away, regaining his footing and running behind cover, another slash from the droid cutting a rock in its way to burning shreds.

An explosion rocked the ground, and a furious yell came from above as Alen gave out a sigh and kept running.

…

"Come on, _di'kute_! I don't have all day!"

Despite his angry, almost bored façade, Xel was worried. These things were repelling explosions, blaster fire, and even lightsaber strikes, and that was just the armor, not to mention either the shield or energy blade. And there were _six_ of them. His lightsaber reignited as two turned to face him, raising right arms and shields as they held him back from getting to Alen. Xel leapt above another as it slashed at him from behind, coming down at its back with a falling vertical strike that cut a burning hole through its back armor and jump jets. The skeleton underneath was blackened and slightly charred, but held up.

Caden's teeth gritted as he withdrew behind another rock, ducking out of the way of a vengeful slash from the droid he'd just assaulted and launching a wrist rocket into its face. The Purge Trooper stumbled backward as a flurry of interlocking blaster fire peppered its armor, the rest of the rebels finally ending their retreat and beginning a counterattack. Its relatively small energy shield raised, covering its central and most important bits, the rest of its armor deflecting or absorbing most of the stray shots. Only a few bore holes in its chassis, but the bolts that impacted at joints seemed to have more impact and even caused it to freeze up for a few seconds.

Xel's eyes widened. _The joints._ He charged at the closest Trooper currently under assault, getting its attention with a few well-placed blaster shots to its optics and head. The droid turned to him and raised its right arm, curling it at the elbow and squaring its shoulders a moment before a trio of missiles streaked from its right shoulder. Caden blinked as he jetpacked into the air, cursing under his breath when the missiles started tracking him. _Heat-seekers. Lovely._ His flight path took him closer to the ground, arcing past a Purge Trooper currently attacking his brother and firing at its unprotected back.

"Fierfek!" Ijul yelled over comms. "These things are unstoppable!"

"Nonsense," Eran insisted. "_Nothing_ is unstoppable. _Everything_ has a weakness. We just need to find it."

"I intend to," Xel growled into his comm., eyes snapping back to glance at the rapidly approaching missiles. _Come on, Xel, think!_ He arced back toward the battle and saw three of the six Purge Troopers starting to cluster up in one area, combining their armor and shields against the withering fire of a dozen rebel commandos. _Droids tend to give off more heat than organics by nature of their processes, and in this climate-controlled armor…_ A smirk came to his face as he descended again, arcing and angling his body to go between the droids. He shot through the relatively narrow gap, cutting the jets and letting his momentum carry him forward.

As he rolled on impact with the ground and used his momentum to hit the ground running, the three missiles locked onto the Purge Troopers and split, detonating on impact with their respective chasses and knocking them off-balance.

"Use detonators!" Eran yelled.

"Target their joints!" Xel added as he ran toward the cluster.

One of them turned in his direction and fired off another salvo of missiles, the shot missing when he juked around it at the last second and shot a wrist rocket toward its neck. The Trooper raised its energy shield and smacked the missile away, spinning and slashing with its blade as Xel dropped onto his shins, sliding under the strike. Caden's lightsaber cut upward as he slid between its legs, slashing a shallow line through its hip armor and rolling as his upper body pitched forward, then spinning to face his enemy and launching another rocket at its neck. The rear neck servo was severely damaged, causing the droid to seize for a few moments as Xel closed the distance.

The Mando leapt onto its back and raised his lightsaber when the droid's right hand grabbed him by the arm, throwing his strike off and attempting to throw him to the ground. Xel's left crushgaunt wrapped around its shoulder-mounted missile launcher, keeping him steady as he put Force into his right arm's resistance. His legs braced against the droid's grasping arm and pushed back, the Trooper's grip slackening bit by bit as it widened under the force of his struggle. It released him, allowing him to dash backward and land on its left shoulder in a crouch. His right hand reaching for a handhold on its head, his left grabbed his dropped lightsaber and ignited it, slashing at the neck joint repeatedly and cutting most of the way through.

The Purge Trooper began sputtering and jolting repeatedly, its systems shorting out at the sudden loss of processing power. One last swing beheaded the mechanical monstrosity, its helm hitting the ground with a thud a moment before the rest of its body followed. A cheer rose from the rebels who maintained their firing pattern on the other two before half of them were knocked to the ground by the concussion from a narrowly dodged missile salvo. The Troopers jetted briefly into the air and landed next to three of them, one putting its arm between its head and a pistol burst from one prone soldier before bashing him with its energy shield.

The soldier shrieked as the shield bathed him in pure energy, the sheer voltage overloading his nervous system and leaving him little more than a charred corpse. Eyes widening at their comrade's fate, the other two scrambled to their feet and ran for it only to be trampled by the second Trooper, the snaps of their ribs heard even at Xel's distance.

"No!" he roared in anger, jetpacking toward one at maximum velocity and channeling Force into his fall as he planted both feet on its chest, knocking it to the ground and slashing at its neck with his right hand as his left fired at the other repeatedly.

The Purge Trooper he'd mounted grabbed him in both hands and unceremoniously dumped him on the ground back-first. Xel grunted at the impact but bounced back from it, using the Force to launch himself into the air and out of range of its slash. His lightsaber flashed as he charged back in, his blows deflecting off its shield and blade as he dueled the eight-foot monstrosity. Glancing to his right, he fired off a wrist rocket at the trampling Trooper, knocking it off-balance and drawing its attention away from the crippled rebels. It looked dead at him and raised its right arm in the same bent motion that fired off missiles, but instead revealing its shoulder-mounted weapon to be a rotary cannon.

Blue plasma shot from the weapon at an extremely rapid rate, causing Xel to dash away from his close-range opponent and roll several times, deflecting the rounds intermittently and sending a few back into their source. When he leapt behind a rock for cover, a missile strike from the other Trooper shattered his cover into fairly large pieces, the explosion knocking him flat onto his faceplate. Taking a rapid look around him, Xel snarled determinedly and stretched out to the Force with his anger. A hailstorm of large rocks pelted the auto-firing Trooper, many of the smaller bits jamming into its joints and cables and a fair few impacting and damaging its weapon.

Xel cocked his head. _Interesting. So their shoulder weapons aren't as durable as the rest of them._ Sure enough, when the Purge Trooper again tried to fire, the rotary cannon had been either jammed or damaged beyond use. Either one was good enough for him. Xel put a finger to his helmet. "All units, be advised. Target their shoulder weapons and you can take out their long-range capabilities."

"Roger," a few rough voices chorused.

Xel dashed past both Troopers, ducking under a slash from one and sprinting over to the crippled soldiers. A quick scan in the Force confirmed they were still alive…barely. One was slung over his shoulder and the other dragged by his arms as Xel moved away from their mechanized attackers as fast as possible. A sizzling ignition from behind caused him to mentally facepalm. _Forgot to take out the missile launcher._ He dropped them both instantly, jetpacking into the air and drawing off the heat-seeker before arcing back toward his opponent and free-falling behind it to land in a roll. It spun to face him, bringing down a powerful blade strike as he sidestepped and rushed toward it, dashing in close and practically hugging its leg as the missiles slammed into its back.

The Trooper pitched forward, and Xel ducked behind it, leaping onto its back to slash its launcher in two before jetting back to the unconscious rebels and carrying them behind Alen's defensive line. The Jedi gave them a concerned glance before refocusing on the battle at hand, firing his Bryar repeatedly into joints at the shoulders and neck of the approaching battle droids.

"How bad?" Alen asked as Linn looked them over.

Among her talents for numbers and other such records, the girl also had also gotten some medical training from one of her now-dead squad members and was putting it to good use among the three injured rebels brought to relative safety. She shook her head.

"Serious, but not critical. No internal bleeding, just compounded fractures. Other than a few pain stims, there's nothing I can do for them here."

"Roger," the Jedi answered with a nod, blaster fire punctuating his words. "Do what you can."

Xel scowled at the enemy force, drawing his father's Blackjack off his jetpack and opening up on the enemy as he checked the time. _0807 hours._ He exchanged a look with Alen, the latter's nod confirming it. Xel pulled a holocommunicator off his belt and crouched down, activating a line to Tobin's frequency. His frazzled image appeared a few moments later.

"Tobin here."

"This is Caden. We've found the facility and its purpose, and if I'm guessing right, we're currently dealing with the prototypes."

The man's eyebrows furrowed in alarm at Xel's tone. "What _exactly_ does that mean?"

"Battle droids, sir. Highly advanced battle droids built for taking on Force-users, if I had to guess."

Tobin's eyes widened. "You're kidding…no of course not." He rubbed his forehead. "Fierfek. This was unexpected. How many are you up against right now?"

"Six, and in the ten minutes we've been fighting, we've only managed to bring down one. Our squads have already sustained four casualties, and that number's just gonna rise if we don't get some backup."

The commander nodded. "Understood. Reinforcements are twenty minutes out. Sorry, but things are kriffing hectic here. That's as soon as I can get you help."

Xel's teeth gritted, but he nodded and closed the channel before turning to Alen. "_Vod_, this is getting us nowhere. Once the Imperials get their _osik_ together, they're gonna send a swarm of these things out here. If we don't stop production permanently, they're gonna wipe us out."

"What exactly are you suggesting?"

"You stick to the plan. Take Ijul, Treyvan, and Eran inside, along with one or two commandos. Find the hub, control center, whatever, and put an end to it. Forcefully."

"That won't take care of the ones already out here."

Xel looked off at the Purge Troopers in the distance and reached for his belt, the hardcase at his right opening and dropping a _beskar_ cylinder into his hand as his left hand reached for the same spot on the opposite side.

…

Alen just stared for a few moments as two blazing beams of light, blue and green, ignited before his eyes.

"Leave that to me," Xel growled malevolently.

Li-am couldn't help but let out a long, staggered breath at his brother's audacity. "All right then. En, Ijul, Sarge!"

The three in question snapped their attention to him.

"Take two of the best fighters you've got and form up on me! We're taking that factory!"

"Sir!" they answered in unison.

Alen turned his attention back to Xel when the Mando climbed onto a large boulder that served as cover, his glowing sabers drawing the attention of every advancing robot. "Xel!"

The Mando barely turned his head.

"Good luck." He could sense Xel smirked behind his helmet.

"I don't need luck. I have the Force."

Alen smiled and nodded to his team as Xel charged toward the enemy, yelling furiously.

…

"For Mandalore!" Xel roared as he leapt into the air and fell with both blades, the glowing shafts meeting a blade and shield. He bounced off and backflipped, landing solidly and dashing between the Trooper's legs to slash at the knees. Spinning around, he swung both blades in one direction, the combined power of his lightsaber and Telia's severing the droid's right leg at the knee and dumping it on its side. The Trooper swung its left arm down toward him, and he deflected the strike with one sword while the other slashed at the blade's emitter, cutting it from the arm and rendering it useless.

A leap brought him to its head, which was attacked from both sides with crossing slashes, the appendage severed with one rage-driven maneuver. A trio of missiles smacked into the ground next to him, and Xel pitched over, deactivating his sabers and falling into a roll as he recovered, then reignited them and started sprinting again. Another missile headed in his direction, and he adeptly sidestepped it before throwing his mother's saber at the offender, the speed and force with which it hit severing its launcher, then returning to his hand a few moments later.

With a furious yell, he leapt forward in a double stab, the blades punching directly into the Trooper's chest, much to his surprise. He tore them both out and deflected a blade strike and shield bash before leaping backward when the two weapons crossed where his body had just been. Every Purge Trooper in their formation had started to focus on him and converge on his position, leaving their backs open to blaster fire from every remaining rebel.

"Come on, _mir'osike_!" He crossed the blades threateningly. "Come and see how a true warrior fights."

…

Alen's lightsaber flashed in a blur of blue light as he deflected and reflected blaster bolts headed for him and his teammates. The blade cut through one stormtrooper after the next as they stormed the complex, most, if not all, of the Imperial soldiers having never seen a Jedi before. It gave him quite the psychological edge. Their professional calm was completely disrupted, something he hadn't noticed in the stormtroopers Vader had brought with him to Obroa-skai. He assumed that was because they were from his personal legion, the 501st, a special division famed for killing Jedi.

Regardless, Alen intended to capitalize on his advantage, and so charged straight toward their firing line, a wide Force Push blowing many of them onto their backs. Eran and the others hosed down the prone troopers while he got to work cutting through a locked door. The metal plate fell to the floor a few moments later, its edges glowing with heat as the rebels made their way further inside. The hallways that followed had progressively decreasing guard density, as if they never expected the enemy to get that far inside. They were wrong.

"Master Jedi," En said five minutes after their insertion.

Alen once again winced at the title, then turned to him and took a good look at what had caught his attention.

"This is a power junction for the AA cannons we saw up top. We disable a few of these, and those guns go goodbye."

The Jedi's blue eyes widened. "Which means we can call Iola for air support. She's much closer than Commander Tobin's reinforcements, and one good salvo from the _Kandosii'tal_ would reduce those droids outside to scrap metal."

"Exactly my thought."

"Do whatever you have to. We'll keep you covered."

…

Xel laughed darkly as he cut the blade arm off another Purge Trooper, then used the Force to ram its ignited blade and the attached appendage into its head. A burst of plasma fire cut across his chestplate, sending him staggering as he tried to outrun the incoming fire. The Force giving him extra speed, he launched a rocket at the attacking droid and jetpacked around its next salvo. The rocket struck its outstretched left arm, its firing pattern keeping up as Xel descended. The Trooper caught his leg despite his best efforts, but a Force Push to its face knocked it off-balance long enough for him to find the offending wrist's weak spot and cut through the hand's primary servo.

His boots hit the ground a moment later, and both blades ignited as he leapt straight upward, the lightsabers cutting a single wide line through its front, then a mirrored line through its back as he fell on its other side. The bisected automaton fell to the ground even as another charged shoulder-first into Xel. The youth groaned as he hit the deck, then rolled sideways to avoid a falling boot and slashed at its ankle. Another Trooper off in the distance cut a burning line through a rebel commando that got too close, his scream filling the air and filling Xel with even more rage.

A blunt strike from his opponent sent him pitching over, and a hard swing with its energy blade sent Telia's lightsaber flying out of his hand. It planted a kick on his chest, and his Force Shield shattered under the strain as he kept exhausting his strength. His legs buckled when he tried to stand, the combination of adrenaline, pain, broken bones, and exhaustion nearly decking him. _No…no!_ he thought furiously.

"I'm not done yet!" he roared at the unfeeling droid.

His declaration fell on deaf audio receptors as it brought its blade down hard, knocking Xel's lightsaber from his hand, then kicking him back again. When his jetpack hit the ground, Caden felt a wave of exhaustion and pain overtake him. _I haven't felt this horrible since I took on Vader._ He craned his neck and stared at the helmet of the approaching battle droid. _Oh right._ His lips curled into a hateful snarl as he slowly rose to a crouch, the droid drawing within striking distance and bringing both arms down hard.

"That's _enough_!"

…

PT-37's digital brain stalled briefly as it considered the situation in front of it. Every logic processor in its head dictated that this was impossible. No organic, however strong, could stand up to its sheer brute force when its entire weight was put behind a strike. It then ran a split-second diagnostic of its optic sensors to check for malfunctions. When the test turned up negative, it checked its servo power and connections for damage. Minor scuffs were all that turned up, but not even that would allow this. It then calculated the odds that its internal diagnostics themselves were malfunctioning to be 2520 to 1. The logic processors briefly glitched before reconfiguring and adjusting to the new parameters.

Its optics were not malfunctioning, and neither were its arms. This meant only one thing. Somehow, this armored organic was matching it for sheer brute strength. Not only that, but PT's arms were actually starting to _rise_ as he got to his feet. It hadn't let up in the strength of its arms, but the saber-wielding human was actually beginning to stand. _Impossible_, the droid thought, logic processors glitching again. What happened next was even more impossible.

The Mandalorian roared into PT-37's faceplate, then shifted sideways and grabbed one of its arms with both hands, pulling back and twisting his body. The Purge Trooper pitched and flipped over the man's shoulder, hitting the ground with enough force to send massive vibrations through its chassis. The vibrations, amazingly enough, managed to affect its internal wiring, and a design flaw in the droid's construction allowed that wiring to sever its motor control from cerebral processes. PT was paralyzed. _Impossible_, it repeated in its head, the only part of its body it could still move.

As the Mando reached out to his sides, lightsabers flew into his hands and ignited, the six-foot figure sprinting off toward the other battle droids, having ruled out PT-37 as a viable threat. Several flurried strings of coding flew through 37's processor as it fully understood its immobile predicament. _How organic_, it thought with heavy annoyance. Its artificial mind dedicated half its processes to self-repair before realizing it was futile, that half joining the other in observing the armored saber-wielder as he fought its two remaining comrades. Out of all the rebel insurgents PT's squad had been sent to eliminate, he was the only one who'd managed to destroy any of them.

_Why?_ the droid thought. _I was created to serve for the glory of the Empire, the most powerful force in the galaxy._ Its optics tracked the Mando's almost inhumanly fast movements. _Why then could _he_ defeat me? Was I told wrong? Is the Empire I serve truly the strongest power if we, the symbols of its might, are so easily felled? _Its various logic processors debated the matter for a few nanoseconds before deciding the matter indeterminate. _More data required._ Its optics powered on again as the human leapt over a strike from its last brother and countered with a few of his own. _I will observe and form a consensus._

…

Xel collapsed to his knees in tandem with the headless body of the last Purge Trooper, a ragged breath leaving him as the rebels who'd bombarded the damn thing's exposed side drew close. His sabers dropped to the ground a moment later as he leaned heavily on his hands, breathing labored.

"You all right, sir?" Linn asked concernedly, a hand going to his shoulder as she checked him for injuries.

Xel popped his helmet and removed the _buy'ce_, dropping it next to his sabers as he gulped in air. "Yeah," he answered raggedly. He took a few more heavy breaths before putting the helmet back on and accessing Alen's comm. channel.

"Alen here."

"We've taken out the droids, _vod_. Few more casualties, one death, but it's over."

"Sorry, Xel, but it isn't. These Purge Troopers—that's what they're called—are being mass-produced, and it looks like someone finally got around to issuing new orders to the rest once they realized those six failed."

Xel's eyes widened to their max. "Please tell me that doesn't mean—"

"They're coming, brother."

"How many?" He could barely stand in his condition, much less take on an army of those things.

"I'm gonna assume Tenau's going for overkill and say _all of them_. And there are a lot of them operational."

Xel paled behind his helmet.

"Tell your men to fall back and do the same. I have a plan."

As Caden looked into the sky to see four, six, _twelve_ of them flood out of the factory, he couldn't help but let his jaw drop and hope his brother knew what he was doing. "Roger that." He turned to his men and closed the channel. "Fall back!"

…

"How's that junction coming?"

Corporal En snarled and cursed at the wiring as ionized plasma flew all around him. "It's a lot harder than it looks!"

"My sister and Xel are about to be overrun by those things, so try harder!"

Treyvan glared at the panel as Alen deflected yet another shot that would have killed him, his lightsaber a glowing barrier between the man and certain death. "I got it!" he shouted triumphantly. "Guns offline!"

…

Xel was running as fast as his aching legs could take him, firing at the approaching walking tanks every so often as they made chase. When a missile crashed not four feet from his position, his limbs gave out completely, and he fell to the ground. Crawling forward in desperation, he looked over his shoulder in time to see a Purge Trooper fire another missile salvo at him. Unable to so much as roll away, Xel lifted his hand in the attack's direction and focused what was left of his strength in the Force. To the astonishment of both him and the droid, the rockets diverted into a nearby boulder, showering him with splintered rocks but otherwise doing no damage.

It didn't matter. He was crippled and deserted, and all it would take was one more rocket burst to finish him off. Evidently, it intended to.

Its right arm raised to fire again a moment before a turbolaser burst reduced it to molten slag.

The sight of the _Indomitable Blood _had never looked so beautiful to Xel's dark blue eyes. His ears could say the same about the feminine voice that flooded his helmet.

"Need a hand, _Xel'ika_?"

His eyes closed as a relieved smile came to his face. They snapped open a few seconds later as concussion missiles and proton torpedoes rained down on the enemy. The _Kandosii'tal_ streaked overhead, then arced up into the clouds as a half-dozen of the twenty remaining Purge Troopers gave chase with their jetpacks. A burst of fire from another source vaped two of them. Xel's comlink burst with static before another female voice came through.

"Consultant Xel Caden, this is Specter Two of the _Ghost_. We heard you could use our help."

The _Ghost_ swept over the rocky terrain, then swung in low and strafed the remaining Purge Troopers on the ground, taking out four more in one pass.

"Sorry we didn't get here sooner, and with a better ship. Blasted Imps have a little blockade running in the upper atmo."

"Specter Two," he laughed painfully, "I wouldn't care if you came in a Hutt skiff with a broken tailfin. Those guns are the most beautiful things I've seen all day."

Warm, motherly laughter came from the other end. "Understood, Mr. Caden. Standby for reinforcements."

A smaller jump ship detached from the _Ghost_ and flew down, landing right next to his position as he groaned his way into a crouch. The exit hatch of the vehicle opened, and Xel's eyes widened. _Just when I thought things couldn't look more beautiful._ At the head of a four-man column of rebel reinforcements was a woman.

In bright, neon pink Mandalorian armor.

Xel's jaw opened wide along with his eyes when he saw two blue lightsabers flash to life. His eyes were glued to the two glowing blades as they charged the enemy, a younger, blue-black haired figure charging between two Purge Troopers and drawing their fire while the older man swept in from behind, cutting into the leg of one before taking the arm off another. Caden was so zoned in on the Jedi that he didn't notice the figure crouching at his side until a full ten seconds after the initial question.

"What?" he asked, breath catching a bit when he found himself staring into another t-visor.

"I said," a young, filtered voice repeated, "are you hurt?"

Xel blinked a few times and gulped as he briefly checked himself for injuries. _Couple broken ribs, sprained ankle, few torn ligaments. _"Nothing major," he decided, pushing himself to his feet before collapsing a moment later, the Mando woman's arms catching him before he planted _shebs_-first on the ground. "Okay, maybe I lied a little bit." The adrenaline of both his flight and rescue started to ebb, and with it his body's natural painkillers. "Oh…" he groaned. "Okay, I _definitely _lied. A lot." He looked up at her as she motioned to someone else, a flash of red hair in his peripheral vision indicating Linn's rapid approach. "I have to apologize," he said, voice cracking with pain. "I'm usually not that devious with complete strangers."

The girl sighed gently and popped the seal on his _buy'ce _before pulling it off, helping Linn take off the rest of his armor plates so they could treat him properly. As the Riilos girl got to work on his injuries, the pink-armored Mando held his hand as he gripped it tightly, the tension there allowing him to keep talking.

"So, I'm uh…I'm Xel." He hissed as Linn applied a bacta patch to skin that had torn open from sheer stress. "Xel Caden," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"I know," the Mando said softly.

"And you are?"

The girl watched Linn inject a painkiller stim into his left leg, whose attached muscles were torn way out of whack. "Sabine. Sabine Wren."

"Wren," Xel breathed out, the agony already somewhat diminishing as exhaustion started to overtake him. "Can't say I ever heard of a Clan Wren. But then…I'm in the middle of passin' out, so…" He blinked rapidly, forcing himself to stay awake. "Miss Wren…my brother's in that factory…he's a Jedi."

He knew she was staring at him. "Okay?"

"Can you…make sure he makes it?" He held her hand with both of his, staring into the black t-visor intensely.

She put her other hand over his. "I promise. _Ori'haat_."

Xel let out a heavy breath of relief. "_Vor entye_."

He passed out a moment later.

…

"Reinforcements have arrived!"

"Say what, Linnie?" Eran asked.

"Reinforcements! Commander Tobin came through—with _Jedi_!"

The team's eyes, with the exception of Alen, went wide.

"Jedi?!"

"Yep. Two of 'em."

"And what about our team?"

"We…took a lot of casualties, but most of us are okay."

"And my brother?" Alen asked, voice tight.

Linn laughed. "He's all right. Currently mooning over his—oh wait, nope, he's out."

Alen's brow rose.

"Pretty badly banged up…wrestling with Purge Troopers is apparently hazardous to your health. He'll be okay though. The remaining Troopers are being routed or scrapped. Battle out here's over."

"But not in here," Alen said darkly as his expression went dark. He ran through a door, leaving behind half his team and chasing toward a familiar Force signature. The second door he ran through took him into a large, dark hangar with a single ship and single occupant. Alen's lightsaber ignited as he snarled at the figure. "Tenau."

The Mandalorian turned toward him and nodded. "Jedi. Should've known you were behind that little…disruption out there."

"It's over, Mando. Surrender now and you'll be given quarter."

He laughed coarsely. "Please. Like I'd ever give up to a Jedi. No, I'm afraid this dance has only just begun. Be seeing you, _auretii_."

"Like hell."

Alen charged at him, but the Mando jetpacked onto his ship, leaving behind an armed thermal detonator at his position. The Jedi leapt away as it exploded, scrambling to his feet and sprinting at the _Kom'rk_-class fighter, then changing his vector when Tenau opened fire with the ship's cannons. Li-am leapt up as fast as possible, but he wasn't fast enough. The Mandalorian jetted into the sky and out of atmosphere barely a minute after his exit, leaving his Jedi opponent seething in defeat.

_One day, Tenau. One day._

…

1 hour later

Rebel encampment, Lannik

_Groan. Bright lights. So not fun waking up with a concussion._ Xel slowly opened his eyes, squinting until their unusual sensitivity faded somewhat. His brother was sleeping in a chair not five feet away, head braced on his hand, lips parted slightly. As his eyes drifted around his tent, he could see the rest of his team, his crew, sitting or lying down, talking, smiling. All of them were waiting for him to wake. The thought made him smile. _Let's not keep them waiting._

"Am I dead?"

Alen immediately started awake, an in an instant, every eye in the room was trained on Xel, who looked somewhat shell-shocked.

"'Cause I suddenly found myself surrounded by a bunch of butt-ugly _shabuire_."

The room burst into laughter as Alen grinned. "Yeah, well, these 'ugly _shabuire_' are the reason you're still breathing."

Xel mock cringed. "I can't believe I'm indebted to such…such…" He dropped the act and grinned. "Thank you. All of you." He sat up with some difficulty and help from Alen. "I never thought I'd come to trust anyone as quickly as I have with you." He nodded to the four rebels. "I'm honored. Truly."

"I can guarantee," Eran said, "we feel the same way."

Xel's brows furrowed. "Anyone find out about that _Ghost_ crew?"

Alen smiled. "Yep."

"Someone's happy," Caden teased.

"Well, I've finally got someone to talk shop with. And by 'shop,' I mean the Force."

"Right," Xel chuckled. "And it looks like I've finally got someone to speak _Mando'a_ with." He leaned his head back against his clasped hands and sighed as his eyes closed. "It's been so long."

"Uh huh."

Xel didn't like his tone, and the stupid grin on his face just made his fears worse. "What?" he asked, annoyed.

Alen leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially as he poked his brother in the uninjured arm. "You and her…"

"Ugh!" Xel grimaced and shook him off. "Seriously, _vod_, is that _all_ you ever think about? I mean really, it's like you're trying to turn me domestic."

"Domestic Mandalorian." Alen looked off to the side, testing the thought as his grin progressively widened. "Yeah, not seein' it."

Xel rolled his eyes and slugged Alen good-naturedly, smiling as he kept still, the pain meds having worn off somewhat. He couldn't help but catch the feeling of disappointment coming from someone in the room and locked eyes with her a moment later. Xel blinked a few times before she realized they were staring at each other and looked away with a cough. Linn gently excused herself from the tent.

"How's the operation going?" Xel asked.

"Don't you worry about it," Eran insisted. "Stay here and rest. The Imps had no idea just how much intel we had on their operations here. I give it two days before we mop up and ship out." He approached and laid a hand on Xel's shoulder. "Rest easy, boss. We got it from here."

Though he desperately wanted to argue, Xel nodded slowly as another wave of exhaustion overtook him, head laying back and falling against his pillow as his eyes closed.

The boy rested in the knowledge that he was safe, and he was not alone.

* * *

AN: REBELS! In case it wasn't obvious—Rebels, Rebels, I LOVE Star Wars: Rebels. Expect the crew of the _Ghost_ to play pretty significant parts in the coming chapters.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: In the aftermath of Operation Deathmarch's destruction, Xel recovers from his injuries on a rebel ship with companions old and new. Despite his relaxed surroundings, though, nothing can shake or divert him from his true purpose, not even the extended family he begins to forge.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: the Phantom Menace - The Sith Spacecraft/the Droid Battle: "Come on, _di'kute_!" to getting behind the defensive line

Star Wars: Republic Commando - Gra'tua Cuun (Our Vengeance): "For Mandalore!" to PT-37 gets dumped

Star Wars: A New Hope - Tractor Beam/Chasm Crossfire: 2:00-4:42—"You all right, sir?"; "Fall back!"; guns offline, flight from the Purge, the _Kandosii'tal_ and _Ghost_, "_Vor entye_"


	29. Downtime

"Stay here and rest. The Imps had no idea just how much intel we had on their operations here. I give it two days before we mop up and ship out." He approached and laid a hand on Xel's shoulder. "Rest easy, boss. We got it from here."

Though he desperately wanted to argue, Xel nodded slowly as another wave of exhaustion overtook him, head laying back and falling against his pillow as his eyes closed.

The boy rested in the knowledge that he was safe, and he was not alone.

…

50 minutes earlier

Imperial Purge Trooper factory, Lannik

"Consensus achieved."

The dozen rebels currently picking up the pieces of their assault nearly jumped out of their skins when they heard the harsh, mechanical voice. Eight of them immediately raised and pointed blasters at the immobilized Purge Trooper it came from.

"No, wait!"

The soldiers halted their aggression at the voice of the approaching Jedi. Alen strode over to the body of the battle droid and stood near its head.

"What do you mean by 'consensus'?"

The Trooper's head turned slightly to face him, its flat optics unyielding and intimidating as they scanned over him for a moment. "Male. Human." It hesitated for a few moments before adding, "Jedi."

Alen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes?"

"Interesting."

"What is?"

"I was created to slay your kind. You are my prey, yet I find myself at your mercy."

Alen smirked a little as a small crowd started to form around him. "Quite the reversal, isn't it?"

"Indeed. However, such an occurrence would be even more shocking had you been the one to vanquish me."

The Jedi's brows furrowed.

"That honor, however, falls to your partner, the Mandalorian. He too wields lightsabers, but is not Jedi?"

"No."

"Then my conclusion is correct."

"What conclusion?" someone asked from behind Alen.

He turned to see who it was and found the blue-black haired Padawan from the _Ghost_ and his Mandalorian comrade.

"The Mandalorian—"

"His name is Xel Caden," Alen said.

"Xel is…stronger."

Alen was confused. "Than?"

"Anything."

Both Padawan's eyebrows made a valiant effort to join their hairlines, but only Alen spoke up. "You're gonna have to explain that."

"I was programmed to believe that the Empire was the most powerful force in the galaxy, if not the universe. I was built to be a symbol of that power, to be the right arm of the Emperor's will."

"And?" the other Padawan asked agitatedly.

"I was also built to slay Jedi."

"And you failed in your mission."

"Yes, but not because of a Jedi."

Alen's expression changed subtly.

"I beg to differ," the blue-haired Jedi said. "My master and I took down a few of your buddies barely ten minutes ago."

"True, but you were working in tandem, and only neutralized two while the rest were bombarded by your ship. This…Xel destroyed _all six_ of my squad…alone."

"What exactly are you getting at?" Alen asked, a conclusion of his own beginning to form.

"I was created to slay Jedi, those who use the saber and Force. Xel Caden did both. He fit the parameters of my primary function, and yet he defeated me and the rest of my brothers. He is stronger than Jedi, therefore he is stronger than anything."

The Padawan laughed. "What kinda warped logic is that?"

"Ezra," the Mando chided.

"The kind that says the Emperor fears the Jedi more than anything," Alen explained, hand on his chin. "It makes a certain kind of sense for it to come to this conclusion. After all, if a single Purge Trooper, the counter for the Emperor's arch-enemies and symbol of his power, was vanquished by an organic, much less _six_, how powerful must that person be?"

The other Jedi got his meaning. "Powerful enough to challenge its master, perhaps?"

"Precisely," the droid vocalized.

Alen stared at its head and furrowed his brows. "What I can't figure out is why you're even telling us this."

"I was programmed to serve the most powerful entity in the galaxy. I was led to believe that entity was the Empire. Current data suggests that supposition to be wrong."

Alen's eyes widened at its implication.

"Wait," Ezra said, "hold on a second. What you're saying is, because this Xel beat you…you want to work for him?"

It thought for barely a moment. "Yes."

The Padawan just stared before turning to Alen. "Do you believe this?"

Alen's eyes narrowed. "Actually…I do. The designers were likely given specific instructions regarding these things' loyalty programming, but they couldn't have foreseen such independent thinking."

"But it could be lying."

The Trooper shook its head. "I am designed for battle, not subterfuge. I cannot lie."

Alen snorted. "I can certainly testify to the former, and considering you're about as subtle as a rancor, I'm willing to take the latter at face value."

"But you've seen how dangerous these things are," the Mando pointed out.

"True," the younger Jedi said, crouching down, "but it won't be serving from a Purge Trooper's body." He closed his eyes and put a hand on its chest. "Your internal wiring is off, isn't it?"

The Trooper was silent a moment. "Yes. A significant blunt force exploited a design flaw in my chassis. I am what you organics would call…paralyzed."

"And since I don't really feel like rooting around in your chest cavity to figure out the problem, we'll have to find you a new body." Alen started pulling at one of its head panels uselessly.

"Allow me to help."

A click sounded from the helm before something came loose and dropped to the ground.

"My central processor is located—"

"I know what it looks like," Alen interrupted. "Been working with wires and computers since I could crawl." He reached in and snapped a few rivets out with the Force before gingerly removing the processor from its primary mounting, wires still connected.

"The critical cortex of my mind is located between the ventral and dorsal processors. Everything else is—"

"Extraneous," Alen finished for it. "Of course. Probably extra drivers to manage the blade, shield, and any other integrated weapons. If I'm transferring you to another body, chances are it's gonna be less advanced, so you won't need them."

"Correct."

"Well," Alen grunted as he started pulling off the extras. "Guess this is goodbye for now then."

"Indeed. Please inform Xel Caden that my services are at his disposal, should he choose to call on me."

"Will do." With one last yank, he pulled the processor free, the miniaturized computer powering down as he turned it over in his hand before pocketing the device.

"You're actually gonna give that thing a body?" the Mando asked.

Alen shrugged. "Eventually, sure. _If_, of course, Xel decides to cash in on its offer. After all, a droid programmed to be able to kill Jedi would be a great asset to the Alliance."

"True enough," Ezra conceded. "So," he chuckled. "You're a Jedi too?"

"Sure am, but let's get back to base before introductions are made. After all, if we're gonna be working together, everyone on our teams should get to know each other."

"Agreed," said a new, deeper voice.

Alen turned toward him and bowed. "Master."

"Please," the man chuckled, raising a hand, "I'm no Master. Just a simple man tryin' to make a difference in the galaxy. Name's Kanan."

"Well, you're a Knight at the least, which means I have quite a bit to learn from you."

Kanan laughed again. "Not sure I have the strength to take on another apprentice." He slugged Ezra in the shoulder. "I'm kinda hopin' we can learn from each other."

Alen scratched the back of his head and patted his pocket with his free hand. "Unless you'd like to learn how to reprogram an Imperial battle droid, I think you're outta luck."

"I'm…sure we could work somethin' out. But we Jedi have to stick together." He offered his hand.

Alen smiled and took it. "Agreed."

…

1 week later

The Makrin Star, deep space

6 months BBY

"Didn't the doc tell you to take it easy?"

Xel rolled his eyes and swung his arms in circles, wincing as a stab of pain lanced through his left shoulder. "You worry too much, Linn. I am the perfect picture of health." He grinned widely, but she wasn't convinced.

"Xel, you couldn't stay still if you tried, could you?"

"Nope."

"Just…try not to overdo it?"

"I'll _try_," he pouted, causing her to shake her head and walk away.

Caden took a deep breath of the rebel ship's filtered air, exhaling it a few moments later. His injuries from the Purge Trooper battle had been even more extensive than he'd thought. His self-diagnosis had been completely off, probably because his body was still pumping adrenaline to dull the pain. Even a week later, with intermittent sessions of Force Healing from both his brother and Kanan Jarrus, he was having some trouble standing or running for long periods. He couldn't lift above a certain weight without his shoulder giving him trouble, but his armor didn't seem to bother it. He assumed that was because it was like a second skin.

"Xel!"

Drawn out of his reverie, the boy turned toward the source of the voice and smiled at the familiar pink-armored figure. "_Su cuy'gar_."

She smiled back, flicking a dyed strand of hair behind her ear. "_Su'cuy_, Caden. Been one heck of a week, yeah?"

Xel groaned a little when he leaned back against a wall, crossing his arms. "Can say _that_ again. Still can't believe my _vod_ barred me from helping the whole time."

"Well, considering the condition you were in when they brought you back to camp…"

He was quiet for a while. "Be honest with me." He locked eyes with her. "How bad _was_ it?"

Her expression dimmed. "Bruises all over, misshapen muscles and bones, cuts in more places than I could count…" She shook her head. "I'm surprised you were even _conscious_ when we arrived, much less still coherent enough to talk or run."

"So, you think they made the right call benching me."

"Absolutely. If you'd gone into the field…_shab_, you would've collapsed on the _dropship_, much less in the field."

"And I would've been a liability to my team rather than an asset." Xel sighed. "Fair enough."

She slugged him in his good shoulder good-naturedly. "Come on. Somethin' I want to show you."

Xel followed her through one hall after the next of gray gunmetal and windows. At present, the Rebel Fleet was stationed near an uninhabitable blue star in the Outer Rim, and every time he passed by a window and saw it, he was tempted to stare. The shorter Mando girl led him into an open room with twenty-foot ceilings and a sparring ring in the center. He raised an eyebrow as a smile blossomed on his face.

"The doc said not to overdo it, ya know."

"Pssht," she scoffed, "doc doesn't know Mandos. If we can't fight hurt without injuring ourselves further, then what kind of fighters are we?"

He shrugged. "True enough. Armor or no armor?"

"Armor," she smiled as she stepped into the ring. "Don't want you to hurt yourself," she teased.

He rolled his eyes as disengaged his chest and backplates before joining her and stretching. "Ten credits say I could beat you with one hand behind my back."

"I'd take that bet," she quipped, "but I have a rule against stealing from cripples."

"Oh, is that how it is?" He shrugged. "Okay."

The first blow nearly blew past her defenses, and she was surprised at how strong he was, despite being a good five years younger. His next series of jabs were deflected with some difficulty before she crouched and spun in a trip-kick. The leg met empty air as he leapt eight feet clear over her, twisting midair to land in a crouch, favoring his right leg as he charged toward her. She deftly twisted out of the way, giving his recently healed ribs a series of quick shots. He just shrugged it off and spun counterclockwise with a left backhand that she ducked. He exhaled hard several times as they exchanged blows before withdrawing to their respective corners, the younger Mando noting a small crowd of onlookers starting to gather.

"You intentionally put yourself at a disadvantage, didn't you?" she asked, motioning to his unarmored torso.

He smirked. "Of course. We're _always_ at a disadvantage in the field, aren't we?" He charged in for another rapid combo. "Outnumbered—" they grappled for a few moments, "—outgunned—" he threw her sideways, charging with a flying kick as she rolled to a crouch, then rapidly moved away from him. "It's like we're gluttons for punishment."

"Or just determined," she countered, kicking straight at his head and twisting in a wheel kick at his midsection.

He caught the blow and tucked her outstretched leg under his arm while his own leg kicked out her spare. She hit the deck hard, but grabbed his gripping arm and wrapped both legs around its attached shoulder, twisting her body and using the contact point as leverage to throw him to the ground. She rolled onto his torso and rained down punches as he kept his arms up, taking the blows before popping his hips upward, her lesser weight displaced by his much stronger shove. Adding a pull by his left hand on her shoulder, and she practically flew off his body and into the elastic railing of the ring.

She bounced back with a vengeance, planting a solid drop-kick on his crouching x-block and sending him rolling backward. Sabine kept coming and actually tackled him into the ring's boundary. He used the elastic to his advantage, snapping his body in a twist at just the right moment that they both shot away from the edge and fell back into the center of the ring. Xel curled his entire body as they fell sideways, performing a Force-assisted, one-handed handspring and landing agilely on his feet.

Sabine twisted her body in a windmill, using her hands to spring back onto her feet. Both Mandos sized each other up. They were coiled for another bout when several figures strode into the room.

"Xel!" a female voice shouted in exasperation. "_This_ is your idea of not overdoing it?"

"Hey," he called, "I'm hurting less now than I was standing around."

"That right?" Sabine asked, using his distraction to plant her armored shoulder into his gut, then lift and swing him onto his back.

He landed hard, the wind knocked out of him. When he could breathe easily enough, he broke out into laughter along with his sparring partner. "I swear," he laughed, "no one fights like another Mando." He took her outstretched hand and allowed her to haul him to his feet. "I haven't had that much fun in the ring in…a long time." He rubbed his bruised chest gingerly. "But what was that...spin move you did, to get back up?"

Her smile dampened a bit. "Just something I picked up in the Imperial Academy."

"Oh," he breathed. "You went to the one on Mandalore, didn't you?"

She leaned back against a corner post of the ring and frowned at the floor. "Yeah."

"You wouldn't happen to know a good-natured Zabrak or a foul-tempered little old man there?"

Her brows knitted as Alen and Linn approached Xel's end of the ring. "Why would you ask that?"

Xel smirked as he retrieved and donned his discarded armor. "'Cause one of them's my uncle and the other's my _beskar_ forging teacher."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Well, I don't really recognize either by description."

"To be fair, they _did_ decline the Imperials' offer, so." Xel chuckled at the disapproving glares from both his brother and Linn Riilos. "I think my new parents are scolding me." He smiled wider at the red that filled Linn's cheeks, then approached Sabine and gave her a Mando handshake, then pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Good match," he said warmly.

"You too."

They pulled away from each other with a smile, each ducking out of the ring and walking off.

"I'm not mothering you, ya dolt," Linn protested as she and Alen walked by his side. "I'm making sure you're up to snuff so you don't get left behind again."

His smile faded to a warm smirk. "Of course. I do appreciate it." Xel couldn't help but notice a blue-eyed glare directed at him from the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see a glimpse of Ezra Bridger following Sabine out the opposite door. _Hm…wonder what that's about. He seemed pleasant enough when we talked._ He gave an imperceptible shrug before moving off, his medical babysitters flanking him on either side and making sure he made it back to his quarters…and stayed there.

…

The Kandosii'tal, Makrin Star hangar

"Welcome home, Master."

Xel turned toward the source of the deep mechanical voice and smirked, then started stripping off armor plates as it approached. "You know you don't have to call me that, Tee."

"I know, sir. But you are in fact my master. I have pledged myself to your service, in whatever capacity you require."

Caden turned back to PT-37 as he straightened out, stacking his plates on the armory workbench and observing the former Purge Trooper's new shell. The head had been scavenged from a defunct IG-100 MagnaGuard, the body from a newer IG-88 assassin droid, and the arms from various different sources. All of it had been painted alternatingly black and dark grey. Alen had tuned Peetee's new vocalizer to mimic his previous voice, and the Jedi had to admit, even without his previous ten-foot form, no other vocals seemed to match his personality or skill set. As he looked the droid over, he once again noted that the droid's body was…adequate, but not appropriate.

At least, not for his particular programming.

"I'm gonna have to build you a new body," Xel said, leaning back against a bulkhead and crossing his arms.

"I didn't know your expertise lay in droid mechanics."

He shook his head. "It doesn't. It lies in armor, but how difficult could it be to adapt that skill set, really?"

Peetee leaned back against an opposite bulkhead and crossed its arms, mirroring its master's posture and staring back at him just as intently. Somehow, even without facial features, Xel could read its emotions.

"I never thought to ask," the boy said, "what exactly can you do? I mean, what does your programming entail?"

PT-37 thought for a half second before beginning to list its specifications. "I am trained in several forms of close-quarters and long-range combat with a variety of weapons, including high explosives, heavy blasters, and other such armaments. I am also versed in the elementary aspects of Teras Kasi and elements of all seven lightsaber fighting styles."

Xel's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, hold on a sec. You're trained to use a lightsaber?"

"Of course. I was built to kill Jedi."

"And you had an energy blade installed in your last body."

Peetee nodded. "Although my current chassis seems to nullify that aspect of my programming."

"Maybe," Caden said thoughtfully as he strode over to a drawer at his workbench, "maybe not."

Inside was the energy blade emitter he'd cut off the arm of one of PT's comrades. He lifted the device out of the drawer, surprised at the weight of it before he handed it to the droid. PT held the emitter for a few moments before shaking its head.

"This weapon was meant to be used strictly within a Purge Trooper chassis. Severing it from such a body engaged several safety systems that prevent activation."

Xel's brows furrowed. "And you can't perform a workaround?"

"Apologies, perhaps my description was misleading. The safety catch self-destructed the internal wiring of the device. It is…irreparably defunct."

"Oh." Xel looked disappointed.

"Why did it occur to you to give me such a device?"

He looked at the droid. "My brother's not always available for practice, and besides, he still thinks I should heal more before resuming any kind of strenuous training."

"You are looking for a…sparring partner?"

"With lightsabers, yes. If you're trained in several forms of lightsaber combat, then I now have the ability to practice against an opponent that can adapt to several styles at once."

"How useful will this be, Master? After all, so few saber-wielders exist anymore."

"I'm thinking of one in particular," Caden said darkly as he opened a secret compartment in his workbench and picked up a data drive, then inserted it into a holoprojector and powered it on.

Peetee observed the image for a few moments. "Lord Vader. Where did you get this recording?"

Xel crossed his arms and scowled at the vid. "From personal experience."

The droid turned to stare at him.

"This happened eight months ago. This feed is from a built-in recorder in my helmet."

"You survived direct contact with the Emperor's right hand…impressive, Master. I was indeed right about you."

He scrunched up his face. "Yeah, I still don't quite get that. How did you rule me stronger than the Empire?"

"It is…complicated."

"Right. Well, anyway." He looked back up at the recording, which repeated on loop. "I've been studying this fight for months, observing Vader's style, tracking his movements and comparing them to the lightsaber forms found in that holocron." He pointed to a cube in the corner of the room. "Everything has led to one inevitable conclusion." He froze the vid on a still of Vader effortlessly deflecting and countering strikes from both Xel and Telia, the latter staggering away with the sheer force of his swing. "He uses nearly every style of lightsaber combat in existence, favoring Form V but adapting to various situations with elements of several others.

"He's assimilated I through VII into a combat style that has all of their strengths and few of their weaknesses." Xel's right fist clenched. "His method is nearly impossible to match, at least with just theoretical practice." He turned to Peetee. "But with someone who could potentially mimic that, especially a droid with his kind of brute strength…"

"You could test methods of defeating him in a practice environment."

"Exactly."

"I am…uncertain of just how effective a replacement I would be for Lord Vader, but I can try, if I am given a functional energy blade." It inspected its motley parts with some disgust. "I will, however, need an improved chassis."

Xel nodded. "Agreed. In fact—" he powered down the holoprojector and hid the drive again, "—I'm gonna get to work on that now." He gave the droid a glance as he gathered raw materials, wiring, and tools. "Care to join me?"

PT cocked its head. "For what purpose, Master?"

"Well," Xel laughed, "it _is_ your body. Wouldn't you like to have some input in its construction?"

Its optics flashed for a moment before it nodded.

He waved the droid over to his workbench, where he pulled up a holographic design software. "Then let's get started."

…

2 weeks later

"Consultant."

Xel turned his head at the voice, lifting his welding visor up and off and wiping his hands on an oilcloth before marching toward the source. "Commander Tobin. Didn't expect you to come see me in person."

The man smiled and tipped his head slightly. "You do good work, and you're quickly becoming quite the talk of the men. That business on Toydaria was nasty. I was surprised you managed to get our men out at all, must less with less than ten percent casualties. And this is me, who knows your track record."

Xel smiled. "I appreciate it, sir. So what are you here for?"

He shrugged. "Just checking up on the welfare of my men, although I know you're not strictly one of ours. You're an asset, and a considerable one at that."

The boy grinned. "Nice to be appreciated."

Tobin nodded to the inside of his armory. "So what are you working on?"

Xel glanced inside before waving him in and motioning to a large table in the center of the room. "What do you think?"

The rebel commander's eyebrows rose dramatically. "That's…quite impressive."

In front of them both was a black-and-gray metal body missing a head and a central processor, its surfaces contoured in some places, and hard and angular in others.

"High-grade durasteel chassis," Xel explained with pride, "ciridium-_beskar_ alloy-reinforced joints. Internal and external wiring cases. Magnetic holsters on the back, hips, and chest. Removable panels for concealed weapons, and a series of high-quality, military-grade combat drivers. All it'll take is integration of the head module and its central processor, and we'll officially have a newly minted, one-of-a-kind class-four commando droid."

Tobin crossed his arms and furrowed his brows in concern. "I take it this 'central processor' is the one retrieved from that turncoat Purge Trooper on Lannik?"

Caden sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, sir."

"And you're sure we can trust it."

"Alen's been working with computers since before he could talk, and just in case he was wrong when he examined its programming, he got the opinion of over a half-dozen other analysts. It's clean of any worm viruses or other malicious software, and the loophole in its programming that allowed it to switch sides can't be exploited again. Apparently when it self-modified its coding to join us, the 'Biggest Akk' protocol was overwritten with it."

Tobin's eyebrows shot up. "The what?"

"Sorry, it's the nickname Sergeant Riilos came up with for its tendency to side with the biggest, baddest dog in the room."

"Which it decided based on the results of its 'test run' was you."

"Exactly." Xel sighed, mock annoyed as he pouted slightly. "So now I've got an ex-Imperial Purge Trooper with enough combat training to be worth a dozen soldiers in even a substandard body following me around and kowtowing to my every request." He shook his head in mock disappointment, and Tobin chuckled.

"Must be terrible."

"Well, it would help if it didn't call me 'Master' all the time." Xel's expression dampened genuinely. "Almost makes me feel like a slave owner."

"Except most slaves aren't given a choice in their masters," Tobin pointed out. "It _deserted_ its previous employers to serve you. Just remember that."

"True," Caden admitted with a cock of his head. "Not sure I'm giving it a better life, but that's still true."

"In its mind, I guess if you're stronger, it automatically means you're better."

Xel shrugged. "Maybe." He leaned against the table, suddenly pensive and silent.

"Well," Tobin said softly, getting his attention, "I'm gonna go. I do have my rounds to make. Be seeing you, Caden."

"You too, Commander."

…

2 days later

The Makrin Star

"_Vaii cuyi gar jetii'kad_?"

"Back on my ship," Xel answered, pointing toward the hanger he'd just exited. "I don't take my saber _everywhere_ with me."

"But that gauntlet's another story," Sabine pointed out, motioning to his left arm.

He raised it to his chest level as he kept walking, the girl in tow. "This thing's saved me more times than I can count, either with its rocket launcher or grappling hook. I remember this one time when I was thirteen, I accidentally ran my speeder bike off an 1800-foot drop." His right hand tapped the gauntlet affectionately. "Only reason I'm still here."

She nodded and looked at him closely. Xel had forgone donning his armor in favor of casual pants and his matte-gray synthleather jacket, the fairly wide sleeves allowing him to conceal the gauntlet from all but the sharpest of eyes. Of course, as an artist, both in combat and out, Sabine had those sharp eyes. Eyes that could tell if a spray paint can or random article in her room on the _Ghost_ was so much as a centimeter off from the last time she touched it. Ezra had been caught several times sneaking around her room from such discoveries, though usually because he was trying too hard to find something to impress her with.

She smiled at the memories, the mirth slowly ebbing away as she directed her eyes to Xel's. He wasn't looking at her at present, just kind of staring off into the distance as he strolled the halls of the _Star_ at a leisurely pace. It was clear he had a lot on his mind, if the way he wasn't trying to keep up a conversation in the least was any indication. Her neutral expression slowly turned into a frown as she kept observing him. _Those eyes_, she thought. _I can't even imagine what they've seen to look like that._ Indeed, he looked light-years away, but not even his voluminous thoughts and expression of intense concentration could conceal the pain behind his eyes.

Suddenly, he tensed for a moment and blinked rapidly, then turned his eyes to her and smiled warmly, as if noticing her for the first time. She took a quick intake of breath, realizing she'd probably been caught staring, but he didn't remark on it, just kept smiling and looking forward again as they kept walking together. Sabine resolutely refused to look back at him, focusing on keeping herself relaxed. Over the last three weeks since they'd met, they had spoken almost every day, training and conversing in _Mando'a_, a welcome change of pace for them both from the world of the _auretiise_, although it was clear neither of them would have their friends any other way.

She had also worked with him and his team multiple times, the combination of the _Ghost_ and _Kandosii'tal's _crews quite effective in almost any situation. Eran Riilos had been given command of his squad once again, but often consulted and deferred to Caden's opinion on operational matters. A certain friendly…ish rivalry had sparked between him and Ezra for some reason, and while Xel genuinely thought it an inside joke, the older Jedi Padawan seemed to take it seriously. _Oh right_, she concluded once again, _he's easily jealous._ She smirked and shook her head slightly.

"Credit for your thoughts?"

Sabine raised an eyebrow and glanced at Xel. "Oh, it's nothing. My mind's kinda just all over the place."

Xel smiled understandingly. "Same here." He took a deep breath as he came to a stop, leaning against a nearby railing overlooking the rec room and a hand-to-hand match between Kanan and Alen.

Sabine smiled when she saw the scene. Alen had taken right to the older Jedi, but not as an apprentice, more a fellow student of the Force. Kanan, like Xel, had stressed learning to fight well without a lightsaber, and Alen had been working tirelessly to sharpen his skills. Xel too had been training relentlessly, even before he was fully healed, though his practice was far more…serious, for lack of a better term. He just seemed so much more focused on deadly efficiency than his older brother.

"Ten credits says my brother loses in forty moves."

The Mando girl glanced at Caden and his smirk. "In twenty."

He grinned "You're on."

They watched the two Jedi spar back and forth, their movements fluid and blending together one after the other as over a dozen other rebels observed their fight. Sabine was only an absent observer, her glance drifting over to Xel every once in a while. He had forced that smile in the hallway, she just knew it. That pain, whatever the cause, permeated every aspect of his life, and it showed. In training, there was that deadly, predatory focus. In combat, there was an almost reckless disregard for standard tactics in favor of radical maneuvers that caught the Imperials completely off-guard, but also put him at significantly higher risk. In private, he rarely smiled, and when he did, it was genuine, but lacking a certain quality she couldn't name.

There was always something keeping him from being himself, though certain bits of it shone through on occasion. Like now. He was grinning and cheering for his brother, even though he knew Alen would most likely lose to the more experienced Knight. He looked…goofy, for lack of a better term, and for just a moment, she could swear she saw him in a circle with other Mando boys, cheering on a friend or family member as they engaged in a drinking or sparring contest. He looked carefree, like he was finally letting himself be the fourteen-year-old he was. It was a welcome change, and she just had to smile. He apparently noticed her staring again, because his eyes flickered to hers, and his grin dampened a bit. It wasn't much, but it was enough to send the spark out of his eyes.

Sabine looked away and sighed softly so he couldn't hear, eyebrows knitting and lips turning into a frown, face turned away so he couldn't see. _What could affect someone like him so much that he gives up his identity? I just can't believe that reckless, ruthless soldier is the real him._ She forced her expression to become neutral and looked at his features. _I know it's not, and if he thinks he's fooling anyone with this 'tough guy' act, he's a bigger _di'kut_ than most fourteen-year-olds._ A smile involuntarily came to her face at the memory of her first meeting with Ezra. _Well…maybe not most._

"Ha!" Xel whooped, pumping his fists in the air as Alen finally hit the deck and the room erupted into applause. "See?" he asked her, grinning widely. "Told you he'd last longer."  
She rolled her eyes and reached into a pocket, dumping the ten credits in his open palm. "So you did," she deadpanned.

His smile faded slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" She looked up at him. "Oh, it's nothing."

Dark blue eyes narrowed slightly as one side of his mouth tipped up. "Is that right?"

She nearly shivered at his tone, jaw muscles contracting slightly. _How does he _do_ that?_ The way he said it was, intentionally or unintentionally, dark. For a fourteen-year-old who, generally speaking, looked his age, Xel could be _shabla _intimidating, even to someone like her. Maybe it was his abnormal height, or his tone, or the way his eyes could become hard and cold as a block of ice on Hoth as easily as they could flash with fire hotter than the volcanoes of Mustafar in battle.

Xel must have realized his mistake, because immediately a flash of guilt and regret swept his features, and he coughed discreetly before turning to walk away, head down slightly. Sabine opened her mouth slightly and stared at his retreating back, pushing off the rail and walking after him a few steps before realizing he probably wanted to be alone. _It's not good for him, though._ She knew he'd never hurt her, but did he know she knew? Wren started walking again, but stopped when she saw Linn Riilos in the corner of her eye. The older girl gave her a knowing expression, and Sabine nodded in thanks as the redhead walked after the young Mando.

_Good luck, Linn. I hope you can get through to him better than I can._

…

5 minutes later

Observation deck, the Makrin Star

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Xel turned his head slightly at the voice before stretching out with the Force and verifying the identity of the approaching woman. "Yes," he answered softly, eyes perusing the glowing blue sun beyond the viewscreen in front of him. "Yes it is."

Linn leaned her arms against the railing next to him, her shorter body somewhat dwarfed by his sheer height, if not physique. "I come up here a lot too, when it's too noisy or I just need to be alone and think."

"Do you?"

She could almost detect a hint of something remotely hostile in his tone, but ignored it. "Mhm. I love Eran and the boys, but sometimes a girl's just gotta be alone." She smirked and slugged his arm. "Apparently you can relate."

Xel smiled a little and arched an eyebrow, arms crossing. "Sure, except for the part where I'm not a girl."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, silly. You know what I meant."

He nodded, smile fading as he stared out into the endless void. "Did Sabine send you to check up on me?"

Linn was apparently surprised by his observation. "You read my mind to figure that out?"

Xel stared at her, mouth slightly agape with incredulity. "You think I'd do that without your permission?" He genuinely sounded hurt.

She was quick to allay his fears, putting her hand on his arm. "Woah, no of course not. Stang man, you've gotta learn to take things less seriously."

He blinked several times and turned away, looking very much like a scolded kid. "Sorry," he said softly.

Linn's green eyes swept over his posture and expression, and she was reminded for the first time in a while just how young he was. "Hey," she said, smiling warmly and holding out her arms, "come here."

He just stared at her for a few seconds, then almost reluctantly acquiesced and wrapped his arms around her. She did the same to him, smiling into his shoulder and releasing him a few seconds later.

"You know," she said, "if there's something bothering you, you know you can tell us, right?"

He looked down and nodded slowly. "I know," he said, voice slightly deeper as he turned back to the star. "But this isn't something you can help with, trust me."

She leaned against the railing again. "Sometimes just talking about it helps."

"I'm…not really one for words," he said hesitantly.

She put a hand on his. "Try."

His eyes flickered to her face for a moment. "You know that lightsaber I carry…on the left side of my belt? The green one?"

Linn nodded.

"It's not mine. It was my mother's."

She blinked rapidly and opened her mouth slightly.

"She was a Jedi Knight. Darth Vader had her killed."

"Xel…I'm so sorry."

He shook his head slightly, voice starting to crack a little. "There's more. My father—" His throat closed.

Linn's hand tightened over his.

His fingers clenched around hers. "My father he executed personally."

"Xel," she whispered.

He shook his head. "And there's nothing I can do about it. Nothing except carry on what they would have done given the opportunity."

"That's why you joined the Rebellion."

He clenched his teeth and nodded slowly.

She pulled his hand and wrapped her arms around him again. "Xel, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he said, voice slightly hoarse. "I know exactly whose fault it is, Linn. Trust me, I know."

The last sentence was said in a much deeper, darker voice, and Linn couldn't help but shiver a little at the subtle but clear hatred lacing the words. She just kept holding him until little by little, the tension flowed out of his frame and he relaxed in her embrace. "If you ever need to talk," she whispered, "I'm always here."

He nodded against her hair. "I know," he said softly. "Thank you."

* * *

AN: I've gotten reviews left and right about Xel seeming way too mature for his age, so I felt I needed to throw this chapter in. Despite all his skill and power, he is only fourteen, with all the same hormonal shifts and compulsions. His inability or unwillingness to truly grieve, though, is the primary reason why he seems harder and older than he should be. On another note, I hope you liked the introduction of the turncoat Purge Trooper. Before anyone gives me the riot act about free will among robots, you should know that despite the fact that droids are programmed, there are numerous instances throughout Star Wars history of droids growing beyond or even overriding their programming, usually when they fail to have regular memory wipes. R2-D2 is one classic and notable example, as are the Meedees of SWTOR.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: All across the galaxy, the Rebel Alliance begins its first major offensives against the Empire, with a certain Mandalorian and his "family" at the tip of the spear.


	30. Fighting a Rebellion

"I know exactly whose fault it is, Linn. Trust me, I know."

The last sentence was said in a much deeper, darker voice, and Linn couldn't help but shiver a little at the subtle but clear hatred lacing the words. She just kept holding him until little by little, the tension flowed out of his frame and he relaxed in her embrace. "If you ever need to talk," she whispered, "I'm always here."

He nodded against her hair. "I know," he said softly. "Thank you."

…

1 month later

Darkknell

5 months BBY

"Too easy."

"Don't get cocky. Imp presence here may be minimal, but considering the importance of this particular shipment of explosives, most of it will be concentrated here."

"Agreed," Xel added to Eran's statement, flexing his left fist and aiming at the tall outpost in the distance. "We go in fast and hard, out in two minutes max."

"Really think we can pull that off?" Corporal En asked.

Caden grinned behind his helmet. "Fifty credits says we can." He focused on his grapple shot, breathing out slowly and firing once, then hooking the other end to his perch on a nearby plateau where Eran's team and the _Kandosii'tal's_ crew were ready for their insertion. "Insert in five—four—three—two—one—go!"

Xel hooked in on the cable using the blunt edge of his knife, angling his body and moving down its length at a rapid speed, approaching within the space of eight seconds and dropping some distance from the outpost's third-floor ring platform. His feet slammed the deck a split-second before he fell into a recovery roll, Eran and Alen following not long after and backing him up as he sprinted into a patrolling stormtrooper, knocking him off the rail and into a 40-foot drop. They rapidly proceeded inside, gunning down anything in their way and blitzing into the storage area four floors down, deep beneath the surface.

Ridonium barrels littered the cargo bay of the outpost, clustered together in a very volatile and dangerous way. _Idiots,_ Xel thought as he pulled a detpack off his belt and mounted it on a central barrel. He nodded to the Jedi and sergeant, following them back up to the site of their insertion and pressing a button on his gauntlet. The _Kandosii'tal_ descended from the nearby plateau amidst rocket and blaster fire from the troops below, lowering its ramp and allowing the three saboteurs rapid entry within the space of six seconds. The ship accelerated away from the outpost, shields just starting to buckle, a moment before Xel hit the trigger on his detpack, sending the building's supports crumbling and the entire structure with it moments later.

"One staged terrorist attack averted," Eran said with a grin.

"The Imperials are shown to be shipping illegal explosives," Alen added, "and the Rebellion's good name remains intact. That's a win."

…

2 weeks later

Biivren

4 months BBY

"Watch your six!"

Xel ducked just in time for a blaster bolt to sizzle over his helmet, returning fire with one of his pistols as he, Linn, and Ijul zipped through the crowded streets of this planet's Imperial-controlled industrial district. Two scout troopers were in pursuit, the underslung blaster cannons on their swoops spitting copious amounts of fire in the rebels' direction.

"You two keep going!" Xel ordered, nodding toward the scouts. "I'll hold them off!"

Linn glanced at him uncertainly but nodded, gunning the throttle of her swoop as Ijul followed her.

Caden cut his throttle in half, the scouts shooting past him and putting themselves directly in his own speeder's sights. His weapon of choice, however, was not integrated into his swoop. His hands rose as he kept the vehicle steady, eyes closing in concentration. The scouts felt an invisible grip around their chests a moment before Xel snapped his arms in opposite directions, sending the Imperials crashing into each other in a ball of fire that he swerved around with some difficulty. The Mando used the Force to find his two comrades, getting a message over his Bond that Alen and his team had already taken care of their end of the mission.

He rolled his eyes at the stuck-out-tongue feeling sent over the Bond and replied with an "_usen'ye_" before refocusing on his task. Linn and Ijul were already engaged in a firefight with the nearest corporate guards, their weapons having sent stun blasts into two already before Xel arrived. He thumbed his pistols' power settings to minimum, then plugged two of them in the knees while leaping off his still-in-motion swoop, the vehicle crashing into another two before the rest in its path wised up and dropped to the ground. Of course, once there, they were vulnerable to stun blasts from the other two rebels.

Xel stormed his way toward the administrative booth on the upper level, holstering his pistols when he was assaulted by three guards with stun batons and engaging them hand-to-hand. One fell to a hard elbow to his jaw, another's swing ducked and countered with a rising knee. He was dumped over the second-floor railing as Xel grabbed the last man's wrist and squeezed, breaking his wrist, then headbutting him into unconsciousness. Linn and Ijul joined him when he entered the administrator's office, the man behind the desk yelling at them indignantly. Xel just tuned out his protests and cut him off with an instantaneous jerk of his throat.

"You will halt production of this facility immediately and wipe the drivers for the assembly machinery," Xel said authoritatively, a small wave of his hand reinforcing the Force-powered command.

"I will halt production immediately, but I'm afraid wiping the machines' programming is beyond me," the administrator answered as he slipped a security key from his pocket and strode toward his master control panel.

"That's quite all right. Just link a friend of mine into the system, and he'll take care of it."

"Yes, sir."

The moment the machines came to a whirring stop, the administrator opened a channel on the MCP and allowed Xel to transmit a signal to Alen. The Jedi appeared on holocom a moment later.

"What do you need?"

"Assembly drivers," Xel answered sharply. "Hack. Now."

Alen smirked teasingly. "My baby brother. Tsk tsk. Gotta have me do everything for you, huh?"

"_Usen'ye_," Xel deadpanned with a frown.

His brother just chuckled and typed furiously on his end for about a minute, the shouts of incoming reinforcements heard in the admin booth.

"Any time, 'big brother'."

The Jedi held an irritatingly parental finger up, eyes still on his panel. "Patience is a virtue."

Xel hissed and went to the window, spying over two dozen stormtroopers coming up the stairs. He turned back to the panel and laughed nervously. "Not right now it isn't."

"Aaaand…done."

The MCP sparked a few times, ending the transmission, and Xel shot it several times for good measure before turning to the administrator. "You never saw me," he said with a wave of his hand and a good amount of extra Force input.

"I never saw you," the administrator affirmed.

Xel nodded once before clenching his fingers slightly and Constricting the man, Linn lowering his unconscious body to the ground a moment later as they stole out the emergency exit. Their swoops carried them away from the industrial complex and into the blank expanse of road that led back to the spaceport. _That'll put a dent in weapons production for a while._

…

1 week later

Raxus Prime

"Hooyah, _gar mir'shebs_!"

"_Oya manda! Kandosii, Xel!_ That was _beautiful_!"

Xel smiled at Sabine's declaration over comms., his head nodding slowly in agreement as he watched the orbital shipyard go down in flames. According to some veterans in the Rebellion, the original founder of the Alliance, one Galen Marek, had pulled a similar maneuver almost two years earlier, using the Empire's own ore cannon to launch a two-kiloton molten metal slug into a shipyard building Star Destroyers. Elsewhere on the junkyard world, just ten miles away, the _Ghost's_ crew was handling another Purge Trooper factory, whose products were, quite thankfully, inoperable at present.

"Shall we go, Master?"

Caden turned toward the source of the voice and smirked behind his helmet, noting once again with glee how much better PT-37 looked in its new body. The armor plating was scuffed and blackened in some areas where it had been shot, but the general structure of the droid was more than intact. Its head's armor plating was made up of reinforced blast shield material, the look of it resembling a gray, t-visored head. Alen did most of the wiring and computer parts, but Xel just had to put his personal flair on the robot's final look. It was _his_ droid, after all. In addition, he had been trying to teach Peetee the basics of _Mando'a_ and what it means to be Mandalorian.

It had taken quite well to the gentle indoctrination, and would often engage him in surprisingly deep discussions about the meaning of Mando philosophies and specifically references to the _Manda_, the "collective soul" of all Mandalorians who die. Tee had even expressed anxiety about being left out of that soul, being that it had no life to begin with. Xel had told it that as long as it kept fighting, as long as it was known and remembered by even one of the _Mando'ade_, it would live on if it were ever destroyed, in the minds and hearts of those it once knew.

_"Will you remember me, Master?"_ it had asked.

Xel had smiled and nodded. _"Of course. You're my comrade and my brother in arms. _Vode an_."_ Brothers all.

Now, they were going back to the _Kandosii'tal_, which was perched on a nearby junk mountain and contained Iola Voss and Linn Riilos. Alen and the rest of Riilos' team were at a rebel base camp halfway between his crew and the _Ghost's_, their RV point once they were done with their respective missions.

"Xel!"

Caden tapped his helmet and frowned at the near-panic in Sabine's voice. "Here."

"Got a…minor…_major_ problem!"

"Specify."

"Imp AA guns…pounding the _haran_ out of a shuttle me and Ezra used to get the others inside and run interference."

"You're both on board?" he asked with some fear.

"Yeah, and—_shab_!"

The connection sputtered for a few seconds, and Xel concentrated in the Force to feel waves of fear coming from Ezra, since Sabine's Force signature was much dimmer at this distance. Shab _is right_. He growled and ran toward the _Kandosii'tal_, PT in tow. Xel sprinted into his cargo hold and powered up a swoop bike, towing it into the cockpit before speaking.

"Sabine and Ezra are in trouble, and they need our help. There are AA guns with quite a bit of range near their position, so I suggest you fly low and drop me off two miles from the factory."

"Roger that," Iola said sharply as she powered the ship's engines on.

"Sabine," Xel transmitted over comms. "Sabine, come in." No response. "Ezra. Ezra Bridger, pick up the comlink." His teeth clenched. His eyes spotted a ravine dead ahead and finger rose to point. "Take us in there. It'll give us some cover." He tapped his helmet again. "Sabine, so help me, woman…" He felt the danger a moment before turbolaser fire slammed into the side of the ship. "Take us down!" he ordered, gritting his teeth against their sudden downward acceleration.

Iola arced the ship back up, leveling off and coasting along the surface of the ground. She gave Xel a nod, and he moved the swoop to the lowering exit ramp before climbing on and accelerating out the back of the ship. His vehicle skidded against the ground with its rapid movement before rising and turning back toward the factory and a large pillar of smoke that rose from its direction. His eyes widened. _Oh no._ He reached out with the Force again to feel a massive wave of fear from Ezra.

He gunned the engine at max throttle and reached the outskirts of the factory minutes later, spotting the crashed shuttle in several dozen pieces. When he finally arrived at the crash site, he could see Ezra feverishly searching the wreckage, shouting Sabine's name incoherently and turning over piece after piece. Xel joined him a moment later, leaping from his bike and slamming his eyes shut as he searched for her signature in the Force. Apparently, Ezra felt it first.

"Sabine!" he yelled, relief flooding his voice and features as he spotted her arm under a large piece of wreckage. His fingers wrapped around its underside and lifted, the massive, eight-by-five plate flying off and into the distance.

Xel's eyes widened. _Okay. He's got a bit of power there._ He observed the exchange between the older Mando and her longtime friend as he helped her to her feet, pulling off her damaged helmet and inspecting her face for damage.

"You're sure you're okay?" Ezra asked her.

Even as she nodded, he put a hand on her cheek and turned her head in several directions to make sure.

"Ezra, I'm fine," she chuckled.

He just frowned and let her head go back to its normal position, his hand lingering on her cheek just a _little_ longer than it needed to.

Xel's eyes widened. _Oh. _Oh_. So _that's_ why he doesn't seem to like me._ He mentally facepalmed. _Of course, you _di'kut_. You'd have to be _blind_ not to see._ Finishing that thought and tucking away a solution for later, he discreetly cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, but if the Imperials think they've shot you down, they'll be along soon to look for survivors."

Specters Five and Six turned to him, seeming to snap out of a brief trance.

Sabine took her helmet back from Ezra and donned it, nodding in agreement with Xel. "We should get outta here."

"What about your crew?" the younger Mando asked.

"Don't worry about them," Ezra assured him. "We got 'em another way out."

Sabine nodded in confirmation, prompting Xel to lead them to his bike.

Ezra scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "I don't suppose that thing can hold three…"

"No," Xel answered, "and I'm not leaving anyone behind, so you two are gonna mount up."

"What?" Sabine asked in disbelief. "We're not leaving you here alone."

Caden laughed. "Of course not, but I have a jetpack that's built for speed and long-distance flight. You don't." He jabbed a finger at her commandingly. "So get on."

The Mando girl looked and _felt_ like she wanted to argue to salve her pride. After all, he was at least four years younger than her, and yet he had the audacity to—

"Right then," Ezra said, stepping just a little between them and taking Sabine's arm, half-dragging her over to the speeder and winking at Caden. Apparently, he had felt her intentions as well. "Shall you drive or I?"

"You," she spat out, pushing him onto the seat. "I'm a better shot mounted."

"That's…debatable."

Her helmeted glare shut him up, as did the sounds of approaching speeder bikes.

"Go," Xel said sharply, drawing his pistols, "go!"

The swoop's throttle gunned as Ezra and Sabine took off, Xel kicking in his jetpack and escorting them from above. The scout troopers were fast approaching, and their familiarity with the terrain of Raxus Prime was giving them the advantage. Seeing this from his bird's-eye view, Xel descended to twenty feet off the ground and fired at one of the scouts repeatedly. The Imperial swerved to the side and drew a pistol off his speeder's frame, firing several shots that were surprisingly accurate.

The Mando sent a wrist rocket in his direction, and the Imp barely dodged a direct hit, but his hasty maneuver took him into a junk pile that flipped his speeder and sent him rolling across the metal ground. One of his partners maxed out the throttle of his bike, zipping toward the Specters and firing his underslung cannon madly. Sabine turned her torso and sent a trio of shots into his head and torso, then ducked down in concert with Ezra as another bolt whizzed over their heads. Even from where he was flying, he could hear the Padawan yell, "Switch!" as he nudged her and deftly switched places with the Mando girl.

Xel wondered at what he was doing until he faced backward and ignited his lightsaber, batting away any stray bolts that came too close for comfort. The flying Mando smiled and fired on the two remaining scout troopers, triumph ringing in his blood as they both fell to the combination of his fire and Ezra's reflections. It turned to fear when a push from the Force warned him of the approach of two AT-STs flanked by two TX-130T repulsorlifts tanks. The vehicles stormed toward the rebels, firing weapons madly and sending both the Specters and Caden twisting in a series of dodges.

The walkers were slower than Xel's swoop, but if they managed to tag the pair or anywhere close, they would lose balance and be at the mercy of the Imperials' next ruthless barrage. Caden gritted his teeth and arced down toward the nearest walker, spinning sideways when its side-mounted blaster cannon turned upward and fired at a rate of twelve bolts a second. He turned and swerved through the air, descending and dodging until his boots planted on the roof of the walker's command module. His lightsaber ignited and plunged into the cockpit hatch, slashing sideways and cutting through the pilots below. The walker came to a stop moments later, and Xel yanked the hatch open to drop inside.

_How hard could it be?_ he thought, pulling one of the dead pilots away from the controls and seating himself at them, then yanking on a few levers until it responded to his commands well enough to aim at the other walker. The nose cannons of the AT-ST fired twice, punching blackened holes in the other's command module when cannon fire from another source slammed into Xel's. He gritted his teeth and activated the side-mounted concussion grenade launcher, firing one at the walker's legs and crippling one of them as the TX tanks leveled all their guns against him.

A shove from the Force prompted him to Force Leap out the open hatch and add his jetpack's thrust, shooting him two-hundred feet upward and out of range of the fireball that consumed the AT-ST and its surrounding area. He arced back toward the fleeing rebels, noting with smiling satisfaction the considerable lead they'd gained due to his distraction, as well as his own luck. The TX tanks were meant to take on large, slow-moving targets, not airborne Mandalorians. Xel was able to deftly dodge and weave around their slow laser fire with ease, especially at this range, and managed to get halfway to Ezra and Sabine when they stopped a long distance off, realizing he was no longer with them.

Additional engines were heard from a half-dozen new scout troopers coming from the direction of the tanks, and Xel scowled as he descended to ground level, falling into a crouch not ten feet from his swoop.

"Climb on!" Sabine shouted. "There's no way we'll outrun them like this, and your jetpack's gotta be overheating."

Xel checked his HUD and noted she was right, then turned back toward the enemy. "Unless we don't outrun them at all."

"What are you talkin' about?" Ezra asked incredulously. "We can't fight an army with just the three of us, even if we _are_ two Mandalorians and a Jedi."

"I don't plan to," Xel said firmly, standing and walking closer to the enemy, toward a relatively narrow gap between two large plateaus of rock and junk. He cocked his head to the side curiously when he observed the tops of those plateaus.

"What are you thinking?" Sabine asked with suspicion.

Xel thought about it for a few moments, a malevolent smile coming to his face. "I'm gonna drop the mountain on them." He shrugged. "So to speak." He turned to the Padawan. "Gonna need your help, though."

Ezra's eyebrows shot up, but the orbs beneath them sparkled with excitement. "You mean—?"

"Yep. Think you can pull it off, Jedi boy?" he challenged.

Ezra grinned. "You're on."

They both raised their hands in tandem, focusing on the junk piles sitting in unstable heaps on the plateaus above, the sheer tonnage enough to crush even the toughest armor. Sabine looked on in wonder as the gigantic metal piles started to vibrate and shake, the haphazard supports creaking and bending under the strain of the Force-users' efforts. Both Ezra and Xel had their eyes scrunched closed, concentration at the absolute max as everything else was tuned out in favor of focusing the Force.

Sabine glanced nervously between her friends and the approaching scouts, drawing her blasters and taking aim as they drew closer.

"Come on," Xel growled. "Come on and _break_, you miserable _shabuir_!" His anger rose and crackled to life, building and mounting on itself until it was an open flame. "Fall!" he roared, flexing his fingers and snapping his upper body forward tensely.

Both structures buckled violently as Ezra stared at Xel with an open jaw, then at the piles of metal that were unleashed on the valley as easily as if they had been raindrops from a storm cloud. Xel roared, releasing his rage and frustration with the Force, sending the metal avalanche careening toward the scouts and TX tanks. The Imperials tried to turn away before it landed. Their efforts were rendered useless when several tons of metal crushed them into metal-strewn pulp. Xel was breathing heavily, shoulders heaving up and down as he recovered his strength and senses. A malevolent smile came to his face at the veritable massacre he'd caused with the avalanche.

…

Ezra just stared at him, feeling and recognizing all too easily the feelings rolling off his younger comrade. Less than four years earlier, he too had tapped into such dark, powerful emotions during a battle with the Inquisitor, a sadistic Sith monster hell-bent on destroying all traces of the Jedi. He exchanged a look with Sabine, knowing she was thinking the same thing without seeing her face. After all, he'd known her for years. Every emotion she had, every notion and feeling, he could read in the Force. It was almost as strong a bond as the Force Bond he shared with Kanan, and he knew she felt the same way, even if A: she wasn't Force-sensitive, and B: she refused to admit it.

As he turned back to Xel, he could feel the same darkness he had tried so hard to root out in himself ever since becoming a Jedi. Giving in to such…hatred was not the way to protect those he cared about, and Ezra knew that perhaps better than anyone. Caden was no Jedi, but surely he had to know where his path led, even if he didn't subscribe to the other. One thing was for certain, the older youth couldn't keep this to himself. He had to tell Alen, Kanan, someone. He couldn't fall, couldn't be allowed to turn. He was far too loved for his family to lose him like that.

…

20 minutes later

Rebel encampment, Raxus Prime

Ezra and Sabine whirred to a stop as Xel flew down and landed some distance from the pair, pulling off his helmet and tucking it under his arm. Gone was the malevolent, disconcerting smile that had dominated his lips after causing the deaths of over a dozen Imperial soldiers, now replaced by a thin line of calm determination. _I should've done this months ago, when I first noticed something was off._ He approached them and smiled warmly, looking straight at the boy.

"Hey Ezra, you got a minute?"

The Padawan flinched, seeming to be startled from some deep thought, before facing him. "Uh, I was gonna go see Kanan, but yeah."

Xel nodded toward a nearby tent, noting the look shared by the Specters and ducking inside. Ezra joined him a moment later, the slightly shorter boy standing a neutral distance away.

"So what's up?"

Xel wore that same small smile. "You've got nothing to worry about."

Ezra knitted his eyebrows and stared at him, confused. "What?"

"Sabine."

The Padawan seemed to understand, and his expression changed subtly, half with disappointment, half concern, for just a split-second. "Oh," he said softly.

Xel wondered at the brief flicker but said nothing. "I see the way you look at her." He laughed. "And, as a result, the way you look at _me_ sometimes." He smiled at the slight blush that crept into the older boy's cheeks. "Just wanted you to know—" he put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "—you've got nothing to worry about."

Ezra shrugged off his hand and crossed his arms defensively, raising an eyebrow at Xel. "And why would I be worried?"

Xel grinned cheekily. "Come on, man, no sense denying it. I see—hell, _everyone_ sees the way you look at that girl, the way you care about her." His smile faded to a warm curve. "That's powerful." Pairs of identical blue eyes stared at each other. "Hold onto that."

Ezra's mouth opened slightly as he stared at the other boy, willing his mouth to work after a while. "I…" he scratched the back of his head, "guess I felt I was being a little more subtle about it."

At that Xel broke into loud, wheezing laughter that doubled him over and kept him there for a good eight seconds. "W-Where did you get that idea?" he managed between laughs. "You couldn't be more obvious if you were openly leering at her _shebs_."

Ezra went bright red. "I guess…I guess I just thought since you two were so alike. You know, you're a Mando, she's a Mando. You like big explosions, she _loves_ big explosions…"

"And yet that's not how I see her." Xel looked away, pensive. "Maybe I could," he said quietly, eyes glazing over wistfully for a moment before hardening again and meeting Ezra's. "But I don't. I can't." He smiled to cover his morose mood. "Besides, haven't you heard? Opposites attract."

Ezra shrugged despondently. "Yeah, so they say, but three and a half years later, she still hasn't noticed me."

"Well…" Xel cocked his head sideways and thought for a few moments before smiling. "Have you ever asked about her past? Or her culture?"

"Well, uh…yeah, not so much the culture, but—"

"There's a new topic for ya then. It's extremely important to Mandos that we remember our culture. Otherwise we're _Dar'manda_."

"You're what?"

Xel smiled. "That's for you to find out from her."

Ezra smiled back and nodded. "Fair enough."

Caden started to walk past him, but paused just behind Ezra and looked back over his shoulder. "By the way, if you think she hasn't noticed you…" Xel smirked, "then you're blind _and_ oblivious." He hesitated a moment, letting it sink in. "And that gives me hope, 'cause I thought I was the only one."

…

Ezra and the younger Mando shared a look that seemed to resolve months upon months of unresolved tension, and a comradely smile graced both their faces. Xel turned away and walked out of the tent, the entrance flap rustling with his exit. He left Ezra with more questions than answers, less about the girl he cared about and more about the boy who, for all his comparative lack in age, seemed a thousand years older than him.

…

1 month later

Rebel camp, Ilum

3 months BBY

The sing and crackle of dueling lightsabers split the air in the _Ghost's_ corner of the rebel camp, two sapphire blades clashing and pushing against one another in a dance-like pattern of strikes. One focused on sharp, quick movements at precise angles and the other on flowing arcs that deflected every strike and threw in a few counterattacks amidst its defense. The latter was clearly holding back, not that anyone except his opponent could tell. The rebels who weren't on duty or otherwise occupied with catching some shut-eye were observing the spectacle that, for some, had become a common but still-exotic occurrence.

Though it had been almost two decades since Order 66, many of these soldiers were old enough to remember the Jedi, and to see just two of them training in such a beautiful display gave them hope, much less two others looking on as well. Of course, no one in their right mind could call Xel Caden a Jedi by _any_ stretch of the imagination, but to most, the distinction between a Jedi and someone who just used a lightsaber was rather slim. When seeing the Mando's near-flawless track record, it became even harder to tell, considering the stories that surrounded the legendary Knights of the Old Republic.

Xel was currently flanked by Ezra on one side and PT-37 on the other, the droid and his master focusing completely on the duelists while the Padawan's gaze flickered occasionally to the boy on his right. Caden pretended not to notice. His brother flipped over Kanan and slashed at his back, but the older Knight brought his saber to position four and blocked the strike before shoving it away and kicking Alen firmly in the gut. The fourteen-year-old Jedi withdrew and rolled away, deactivating his saber and reactivating to catch a blow aimed at his shoulder. Several testing strikes were traded and deflected, the younger sword specialist somewhat awed at his opponent's skill.

Kanan Jarrus was a particularly balanced combatant, much like Xel, relying on neither the Force nor his saber, but blitzing the enemy with all of his skills at once. Alen was currently holding his own only because Kanan was exclusively utilizing his lightsaber…a fact that changed a few moments after he attempted a counter. A small rock was sent careening at Alen's back, and he threw his lightsaber into position four to incinerate it, withdrawing two steps to dodge a stab from his older opponent. Kanan spun his lightsaber several times before stabbing at several locations, a technique he'd picked up from Makashi, then used one of the stabs over Alen's shoulder to position his blade for a downward swipe.

Li-am deftly dodged to the side, smacking Kanan's lightsaber away and shoving him back with a shoulder charge before swinging his blade upward and locking with the Knight's.

"I gotta say," Ezra told Xel, "your bro's pretty good."

Xel scoffed. "He should be. Been doing this since he could walk. He _regularly_ thrashes me during sparring, even when I get inside his blade range and supplement with hand-to-hand. The guy's reflexes are sharper than a Verpine razor."

This very fact was demonstrated when Kanan cut horizontally, slashing right over his hair as Alen ducked just enough, barely a millimeter of space between the blade and his head. Alen brought his saber up underhandedly, pointing it straight out and nearly landing a stab.

"Woah!" Ezra exclaimed, lunging forward and bracing both hands on a crate between him and their makeshift fighting ring.

Both duelists withdrew from each other and faced off for a few moments before nodding in tandem and deactivating their blades, then bowing respectfully and walking off to chat.

"I—I don't believe it," Ezra breathed. "I don't think _anyone's_ gotten that close to beating Kanan. Apart from the Inquisitor," he added darkly.

Xel's eyebrow rose. "The Inquisitor?"

Ezra met his look. "Yeah. Sith or Dark Jedi or something. He reports directly to Darth Vader, or sometimes a Grand Moff or two."

At this, Caden's eyes flashed wildly. "You've met him then?"

"Well, yeah. Three years ago, he started dogging our every step. Been that way ever since, but with the founding of the Rebellion, it became, shall we say, _very_ difficult to get close to us."

Xel's expression was still dark and jaw clenched. "So you know what he looks like."

"Yeah. Nasty piece of work."

"Describe him."

Ezra looked at him confusedly, but complied. "Bald head, pale skin, yellow eyes. Inhumanly sharp teeth. Honestly, I don't think he's human."

"And did he wear a hood or cast Force Lightning?"

The older boy's eyes widened. "Wait…what?"

"Hm. I'll take that as a no."

Ezra stayed silent for a while before piping up. "Why did you ask that?"

Xel clenched his jaw again. "Because he sounded like someone I knew."

"I'm guessing you two don't get along."

Caden glanced at him before returning his gaze to the horizon. "You could say that," he growled. He was silent a while. "He killed my mother."

Bridger's jaw dropped a little before sympathy flooded his features, turning to mirror his companion's posture and focus. "I can understand your pain. I lost my parents to the Empire too."

Xel's eyes narrowed slightly. "Were you responsible?"

Ezra glanced at him. "No."

His jaw clenched again. "Good."

"If…if you don't mind me asking, how were you responsible?"

Xel shrugged noncommittally. "It doesn't matter. I just am." He scowled slightly. "But not entirely."

"So…you want revenge."

Xel glanced at the older boy, then turned to show him his left pauldron, right hand fingering the sword pattern. "That's what this means. In Mandalorian culture, colors are symbolic. Gold is the color of vengeance."

Ezra stared at it for a while, that uncomfortable feeling from the valley rising again. "I take it your brother doesn't know about this?"

Xel shrugged. "I haven't explicitly told him, but he's a perceptive _chakaar_, and even if I haven't told him the full significance of the sword…" He sighed. "If he hasn't figured it out yet, then he's a bigger idiot than I thought." He turned back toward the horizon, then looked sideways at Ezra and raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask? You think he'll try to stop me?"

The boy looked away and tried to shrug nonchalantly. "Like you said, he's pretty perceptive, so if he hasn't stopped you yet, he won't. I was just curious."

Xel closed his eyes. "And worried, apparently."

Bridger sputtered for a moment and looked at him incredulously. "What? Why would I be worried? You're my comrade, friend even."

Caden just waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not angry, Ezra. A little disappointed, maybe, but I suppose I can understand your position. After all, you've been trained as a Jedi, and the kinds of strong emotions I tap into are the ones you're taught to avoid, because they make you lose control." He pressed his lips together tightly. "The thing is, I've been using my emotions and, unconsciously, the Force, my whole life. It's not only habit for me, it's natural." He put a hand on the Padawan's shoulder. "I can take it."

Ezra smiled a little. "I know. And I know you can tell friend from foe, I just…" He sighed and shook his head. "I remember the times I cut loose some of the ways you have, and it wasn't pretty, or so I'm told. I…scared people. People I cared about, who felt the same for me. I don't want that, for me or you, or _anyone_. You don't deserve to be feared."

Xel smirked. "Actually I do. In fact, I _need_ to be feared." At Ezra's look of shock, he smiled reassuringly. "But not by you, or anyone else in this camp."

Ezra blinked rapidly. "Oh. I get it."

"Thought you might."

They remained there in companionable silence, staring into the falling sun obscured behind a canopy of heavy clouds, snow flying and whirling about them. Xel kept looking on absently, expression going loose in a rare moment of pensive passivity, just enjoying the moment and environment. His eyes fluttered closed as a sudden feeling of peace fell upon him, the cold, crisp air ever so briefly numbing the agony in his heart. It lasted for only half a second, but in that long half-second, he could almost see his parents, laughing and holding each other, eyes drifting to two bundles on a table in front of them. He could have sworn that they exchanged a look with each other, then turned their gazes directly to him.

Xel's heart skipped a beat at the sympathetic, knowing expressions in their eyes. His own snapped open instantly, and he released a ragged breath. He swiped his hand over his moistened eyes, breathing somewhat labored as he tried to calm his raging emotions. A hand on his arm snapped him back to reality.

"Hey," Ezra said, "you okay?"

Caden put on a smile and nodded. "I'm fine," he said evenly before turning and walking away from the horizon, cursing himself for his weakness. It was just a flight of fancy, a desperate effort by the fractured heart of a child to mend itself through impossible means. It was just a daydream.

It _had_ to be.

* * *

AN: In the spirit of not giving spoilers, I hesitate to comment on the end of this chapter. Suffice to say that things are not always as they seem. On another note, considering that only the first season of Rebels is out at this point (which occurred four years before this), the deal with Ezra and Sabine may have changed by now, which means that by the time that period is covered in the show, this chapter may very well be AU. Hope you guys think I'm donig their characters correctly. Like I say on my author page, if there's one universe I do _not_ want to fudge in my writing, it's Star Wars.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: An operation meant to sabotage Imperial efforts on Ilum goes awry when one of Riilos' team is kidnapped and Xel is forced to walk into a trap to save him—alone.


	31. Inquisition

"Hey," Ezra said, "you okay?"

Caden put on a smile and nodded. "I'm fine," he said evenly before turning and walking away from the horizon, cursing himself for his weakness. It was just a flight of fancy, a desperate effort by the fractured heart of a child to mend itself through impossible means. It was just a daydream.

It _had_ to be.

…

2 hours earlier

Imperial expeditionary outpost, Ilum

A black-and-gray-clad figure strode toward a holoprojector in the middle of a rectangular room, a disc-like device mounted on his back as he depressed a rapidly flashing button on the communicator. The projector flickered for a moment before its picture sharpened and expanded into the imposing mask of Darth Vader. The figure kneeled and closed his eyes in respect.

"Darth Vader," he said reverently. "This is an unexpected pleasure."

"You may dispense with the pleasantries. I have a task for you."

"And what is that, my lord?"

"My spies have uncovered the location of a target of interest on this planet, a Mandalorian named Xel Caden. He is a mercenary consultant for the Rebel Alliance."

The man felt slighted, but resolutely kept it off his face. "A mercenary, my lord? I do not mean to question your wisdom, but surely my talents can be better spent elsewhere." The fabric around his throat constricted slightly, and he forced down a gulp.

"This man is no mere mercenary. He is strong in the Force, and could become much stronger if left unchecked. His skills must not be allowed to serve the Alliance any longer. You are to find and eliminate him, by any means necessary."

"Understood," he said with a tilt of his head. "Do you have any additional information on this 'Xel'?"

A data drive popped out of a port on the projector. "That drive contains records of his abilities, as well as his friends and allies, both within the Alliance and without. Use this knowledge to isolate and destroy him. This is my command, Inquisitor."

The Inquisitor's head and body bowed low. "And so it shall be done."

The hologram winked off, leaving the pale, bald Sith alone, glowing yellow eyes fluttering open as a perverse smile came to his face.

…

2 hours later

Rebel encampment, Ilum

3 months BBY

"What's wrong, Xel? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The Mando looked at Eran sullenly. "You might say that."

Riilos stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment before Ezra spoke up. "Hello…_the Ghost_? Our ship?"

Xel forced a smile. "Exactly."

Eran blinked a few times and reddened a little before saying quietly, "Oh."

"Caden, Bridger, glad you could join us."

Xel and Ezra nodded to the commander in acknowledgement, falling into a circle around the holoprojector in the center of their command tent. The rest of the _Ghost _and _Kandosii'tal's_ crews, plus Eran Riilos' team, were present, the three fireteams having become known in the past months as Commander Tobin's personal special forces. Tobin keyed the projector on, displaying an outpost mounted on the side of an ice-covered mountain, the structure nearly cloaked by the thick coating of frozen water on it.

"Approximately two hours ago," Tobin began, "we intercepted transmissions from this location regarding the gathering and shipment of Ilum crystals."

Sergeant Riilos furrowed his eyebrows. "Ilum crystals?"

"In the days of the Old Republic," Kanan explained, "Ilum crystals were most commonly used as core crystals for lightsabers."

The sergeant still looked confused. "What would the Empire want with those? I mean, it's not like they have many Force-users on their side."

"That's true," Tobin conceded, "but their presence here seems to be more preventative than proactive."

"Meaning they want to eliminate or severely reduce lightsaber crystals so no one _else_ can make them," Alen said grumpily.

"Exactly," he nodded. "As such, we can't allow this operation to continue. Your mission is to infiltrate this outpost, find any stored Ilum crystals and recover them. Additionally, any excavation equipment you run across should be destroyed. Even if we can't stop them permanently, we can at least slow them down."

"Why stop with the equipment?" Sabine asked with a shrug. "Why not destroy the whole outpost?"

Xel smirked, as did Tobin, who answered her proposition. "Radical," he shrugged, breaking into a grin. "I like it."

Caden and Sabine exchanged a fist-bump. Kanan and Alen rolled their eyes in tandem, but Ezra and the massive Lasat at his side just chuckled.

Tobin coughed discreetly, suppressing a grin. "Specters, you'll infiltrate the lower levels, Riilos, the upper. Caden, you and your team will take the middle. If at all possible, you're to find the facility's primary data mainframe. We have reason to believe that this operation is being overseen by a high-ranking Imperial officer. If this outpost has data on his identity or location, you're to find and retrieve it. This man may have vital intel on the Empire's military plans and movements if he's being sent to oversee Jedi-related matters."

Xel nodded and tuned out briefly, shooting Alen a look when an uneasy feeling reached his consciousness.

_"Later,"_ his brother sent. _"I feel it too."_

Caden returned his attention to the briefing just in time for Tobin to dismiss everyone. The twins made their way out of the tent and to a more private section of the camp, Iola in tow.

"When he mentioned someone overseeing Jedi matters—" Xel began.

"I know. Just for a second, it was like a cloud blotted out the sun, at least to us."

"The other Jedi didn't seem to have a reaction, though I might be wrong about that."

"Why don't we go ask?"

Xel sighed. "I hate to make them worry unnecessarily, but better safe than sorry."

…

Ezra and Kanan weren't too hard to find, seeing as how they were loading into the _Ghost_.

"Hey Zeb!" the former shouted up the gangplank, tossing a shined stormtrooper helmet up to the Lasat. "New punching bag!"

The alien's deep laughter reverberated from inside. "Thanks, kid."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "For the last time, I'm not a kid anymore!"

Zeb just laughed again.

The Jedi felt two strong Force presences approach and turned to face the brothers, Xel's helmet tucked under his arm despite the bitterly cold wind. Alen, by contrast, had his hood pulled all the way up and his arms folded over each other, rubbing slightly. Ezra was doing the same now that his hands were empty.

"You guys loaded up yet?" the younger brother asked.

"Almost," Kanan answered. "Still have a few extra explosives to get packed away."

Ezra grinned. "Sabine wants this explosion to be special."

"Of course she does," Caden chuckled. "When _doesn't_ she want her work to be special?"

Alen coughed discreetly.

"Anyway, we wanted to know if you felt anything…off during the briefing."

Ezra and Kanan exchanged a look, frowning slightly.

"I take that as a yes," Alen said.

"It was a presence," Kanan said darkly. "One we haven't felt in a long time."

"And would've preferred never to feel again," Ezra grumbled, crossing his arms.

Xel arched an eyebrow in question, and the older boy met his gaze.

"The Inquisitor."

Caden's jaw dropped a little. "He's here, on Ilum? At the same time we are?"

Alen's eyes narrowed. "This can't be a coincidence."

"Maybe _he's_ the Imperial officer in charge of the excavation," Ezra proposed.

Xel's teeth clenched briefly. "I wouldn't doubt it." He looked to Kanan. "Is he really as good as Ezra tells me?"

Jarrus' expression darkened, and he nodded. "He's beaten me on multiple occasions, though over the years that battle's fallen to a standstill." He shrugged. "To be fair, we haven't crossed blades in almost a year, so I have no idea how that fight would turn out."

"You think he's after me again?" Ezra asked his master.

"Maybe. Maybe not. We haven't gotten any indications of him being on our tail lately, so I doubt it."

"Regardless of his purpose," Alen said, "we need to be cautious. I say if anyone spots him, we break comm. silence and converge on his position. After all, if you can fight him to a standstill—" he waved at Kanan, "—what chance does he have against four of us?"

"Agreed," Jarrus nodded, "but the mission comes first."

"_My_ mission _is_ the Inquisitor," Xel said darkly, jabbing a thumb at his chest.

Kanan didn't like his tone. "Do _not_ underestimate him, Xel. I made that mistake more than a few times and paid for it."

"I don't underestimate anyone, Jarrus," he said reasonably, shrugging. "I'm simply stating a fact. I'm a hunter, and today, the Inquisitor is my bounty."

"Just…if you _do_ run into him, don't try and take him on alone."

"Understood," Xel nodded.

"Thanks for the heads up," Ezra said.

"Likewise," Alen responded with a slight bow.

The Specters simply nodded their heads and strode onto their ship.

As the brothers walked toward their own vessel, Xel smirked and spoke. "Ever notice how you're a lot more formal and stuffy than they are?"

Alen rolled his eyes in annoyance and slugged his brother's arm. "Shut up."

…

1 hour later

Imperial expeditionary outpost, Ilum

"Insertion commencing."

Xel nodded and activated his liquid cable launcher, zip-lining in with Alen in tow, Iola on loan to Riilos to fill in the gap on his squad. Ezra was waving from his own zip-line below, Riilos and his team rappelling from the top of the mountain. As usual, Xel led the charge on his end, knife acting as his hook as he approached and dropped down to an unoccupied platform, Alen following a moment later. The brothers peered over the edge of the railing to see Kanan cutting a hole into the wall they anchored their cable to, the rest of the team minus Hera, their pilot, suspended and stacked up behind him.

Riilos, for his part, was silently taking out any snipers he ran across, En trying to hack into the security mainframe before any alarms were triggered or cameras spotted them. Xel and Alen proceeded to the nearest entrance door, the latter slicing into the controls and opening it a moment or two later. Caden proceeded first, pistols drawn, and cleared one corner after the next as they proceeded deeper into the outpost. _No guards yet. Bad sign. No Imperial leaves an entrance unguarded._

He could tell Alen was uneasy as well. The pair went through another door into a long hallway, making their way to a door at the far end that led to a rectangular room with a massive holoprojector inside. Xel exchanged a look with his brother, who shrugged.

"Briefing room. Could be some data here."

"Then slice the computer and get cracking."

"Roger." The Jedi kneeled at the terminal and pulled out a computer interface tool, going through each step in learned sequence as he unlocked the device's encryption firewalls one by one. Five minutes later, he arm-pumped. "Got it."

"About time," Xel said agitatedly, keying the device on. "What is this?"

"Looks like call records. The latest one is time-stamped about three hours ago."

Caden tapped a few buttons to take a closer look. "Looks like it was long-distance. New orders, maybe?"

"Maybe," Alen said thoughtfully. "But who has the authority to command the Inquisitor?"

"Only a few," he said, thinking back to his conversation with Ezra, "namely the Grand Moffs." Xel's teeth clenched. "And Darth Vader."

The Jedi stared at him. "You don't think—"

"That's _exactly_ what I think. He's not after Ezra. He's after us, and Vader gave him the go-ahead."

"So…we're not really hunting him. He's hunting us."

The Mando nodded grimly.

"Stang."

…

"Careful with those crates."

"I know what I'm doing," Ijul chided. "I work with heavy explosives and materials so volatile, a sample the size of your pinky would—"

"Relax, Goros," Eran chuckled. "She's just teasin' you."

The Weequay snorted and cursed in Huttese, returning to his task of attaching repulsorlifts to a flatbed holding several containers of Ilum crystals. Linn was performing the same task on another set, while her brother, En, and Iola stood guard. The corporal's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he cocked his head at something just outside the storeroom.

"Sergeant," he said inquisitively, "did you see that?"

"See what?"

En cautiously approached the open door, blaster rifle in hand. "I just thought I—"

He was cut off when he shrieked in panic as his body was pulled through the door and thrown into a turbolift, no hand ever touching him.

…

"Caden!"

Xel put a finger to his helmet. "Here, Sergeant. What's wrong?"

"It's En! Someone…or something just took him."

His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean 'took'?"

"No one even _touched_ him, but he got yanked out of our room and into a turbolift. It's heading to this place's sub-basement, and without En's technical expertise, we can't stop it."

Xel exhaled sharply, anger steadily rising. "Understood." He turned to his brother. "You get all that?"

"Which part? That a comrade's in danger or an invisible man snatched him?"

"It's him."

Alen nodded in agreement. "We need to get to the sub-basement, _now_."

Xel nodded and strode out the door of the briefing room, pistols at the ready. A sharp push from the Force prompted him to hit the deck a moment before a blaster bolt whizzed through the air where his head had been. He rolled sideways and fired a salvo at his attacker, tagging a stormtrooper solidly in the chest as two of his comrades pulled him away, another three keeping up a pattern of fire. Caden kept barrel-rolling across the hallway into another room, eyes darting to the side to see his brother repeatedly deflecting bolts. His own lightsaber dropped into his hand a moment before the door of the room shut and the ground dropped out from under him.

At least, that was what it felt like.

"Alen!" he yelled, scrambling to his feet and realizing he had inadvertently stumbled into a turbolift—whose course was locked for the sub-basement. His dark blue eyes widened. "Oh _shab_." He put a finger to his helmet. "Alen, are you all right?" Static. "Alen!"

Forcing himself to calm, he reached out over the Bond and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the warm confidence coming from Alen's end.

_"Where'd you go?"_ the Jedi sent.

_"Got locked in a turbolift and sent downstairs. _All_ the way downstairs."_

_"You mean—"_

_"The _shabuir's_ trying to isolate me."_

_"Don't worry. I'll get down there as soon as possible, just avoid him until then."_

_"He's got En, _vod_. I can't just leave him to die."_

_"I know, but…"_

He felt Alen sigh.

_"Look, I know you don't like playing defense, but do it. Just this once, play defense. Save En if you can, but don't risk yourself."_

Xel's jaw dropped. _"That doesn't sound like the Jedi I know."_

Alen's end was silent a while. _"I'm not speaking as a Jedi this time. I'm speaking as a brother. More specifically your older brother."_

Xel rolled his eyes.

_"For once in your life, do what I say and _don't die_."_

Caden smirked. _"I think that's an order I can follow."_

_"Good. I'll be there when I can."_

Xel closed the link and gripped his lightsaber tightly, a blaster held in his left hand and pointed at the lift door. It opened with a hydraulic hiss a moment later, and he cautiously stepped out when there was nothing but an empty hallway on the other end. He strode progressively forward, the uneasy feeling in his gut slowly but surely intensifying the further he went. The hall led to a large square chamber whose floor was comprised of a scaled-down square, railed platform in the center connected to the walls by four non-railed catwalks, one at each vertex. Below the platform and its catwalks was a black, bottomless pit that was spewing updrafts of icy wind.

Even in his climate-controlled armor, Caden felt a chill, but he wasn't sure it was the wind. A moment's waiting was enough to verify that suspicion.

"Hello there."

Xel's body turned toward the source of the voice in a lightning-fast maneuver, eyes widening at the pale figure that faced him.

"As you probably figured out by now," he said with a smirk, "I am the Inquisitor."

He strode toward the center of the platform from a catwalk on Xel's right, his right hand holding a semi-circular device by a short rod that spanned its diameter. The device flashed, and a single crimson blade shot from the rod. He grinned with two rows of jagged, inhuman teeth. "Welcome, my boy…to your destruction."

…

Alen's eyes snapped wide open as he felt a cold shiver of fear flow over Xel's Bond. His comlink opened a channel to the Specters, the closest team to the sub-basement, but there was no answer but static. _The Imperials must have full jamming going._ He grit his teeth. _They _knew_ we were coming. _He_ knew we were coming…which means I have to deal with this myself._ The Jedi sprinted past the charred bodies of his stormtrooper attackers, moving as fast as possible to find another turbolift to get him down there.

…

Xel grinned malevolently behind his helmet. "Really? Is that cliché or what? 'Welcome to your destruction,'" he mocked, imitating the Inquisitor's accent.

The Sith arched an eyebrow.

Caden laughed darkly. "Pathetic."

The Inquisitor smiled, an action Xel instantly decided was the creepiest thing he'd ever seen. "Am I now?" He stepped to the side, allowing the Mando to look past him at the hallway he'd come out of.

Xel's eyes widened in horror as he took a sharp intake of breath, then narrowed as his features twisted in anger. "You…monster."

Just at the entrance of the hallway lay the immobile body of Treyvan En…who was missing his right leg from the knee down. The limb lay smoking some two feet away from his body, his eyes closed and mouth open. He'd apparently passed out from the shock of such agony.

"Don't worry," the Inquisitor assured. "He's alive…for now. But that can change." He pointed his lightsaber at Xel threateningly. "Give up now and your rebel friend will live to fight another day."

Caden stared at En's form for a few more moments before turning his eyes back to the Sith's. Those yellow orbs glowed with a perverse fire, all the hatred and loathing of the creature who owned them put on display for all to see. This man…this _thing_ was pure evil, and Xel could _feel_ it. The same black hole he'd come to associate with the Dark Side yawned in the blade-toting Sith before him every bit as much as the bottomless pit below. The boy's teeth gritted hard, fingers clenching around his saber as his left-hand blaster returned to its holster.

"I've got a better idea," he said in a near-whisper. His lightsaber ignited with a ring, and he spun it into a two-handed position. "I kill you and step over your smoking corpse to get him out of here."

The Inquisitor chuckled and spread his arms out to the sides tauntingly. "Well then, what are you waiting for?"

Xel snarled. _I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face, you miserable—_

The Mandalorian charged him with a yell, swinging hard at his midsection. The Inquisitor lunged in the direction of his blow and angled his blade vertically, blocking Xel's strike and lessening the force behind the blow. He slid his blade across Xel's, drawing closer and slashing at the boy's neck. A quick duck was all that prevented him from being decapitated, and a following roll prevented him from being skewered from behind. Xel spun as he regained his footing, deflecting several rapid stabs from his opponent and countering with an upward slash and a spin of his body, adding power to another horizontal strike.

Unable to lunge away to decrease the incoming blow's power, the Inquisitor blocked it with two hands, shoving it away and swiping at Xel's neck. The Mando snapped his head back, narrowly avoiding the strike, and lunged toward him, catching his blade and angling it away as he slammed his shoulder into the Inquisitor. The Sith was shoved a few feet back, and he took this opportunity to withdraw to a neutral distance.

"Form V," he said thoughtfully, smiling. "Interesting. Your height and armor definitely facilitate the style, but your technique is…" he grimaced in disgust, "lacking."

Xel yelled and leapt into the air, coming down with a gravity-assisted vertical strike. The Inquisitor, as expected, rolled to the side and countered with another slash at his neck, but Xel anticipated the move and instantly switched his saber to an underhanded grip, stabbing it backward and nearly spitting him on it. The Inquisitor withdrew a step and laughed.

"Good! For a moment there, I was worried this would be a waste of my talents." He charged back in, swinging furiously and rapidly.

Xel barely deflected his first lightning-fast salvo and marveled at the sheer strength of his blows. He was starting to cut loose. The Mando grit his teeth. _So I do the same._ Xel met his next strike with an opposing one of nearly equal strength, tangling the two blades in a saber lock and keeping them at a median point between them. The Inquisitor grinned into his faceplate, causing Xel to snarl. His left hand left his saber and gripped the blade of the Sith's, yanking it downward and causing the yellow-eyed monster to raise his eyebrows a moment before a _beskar_ helmet slammed into his face.

Xel released his blade and leapt into the air, stabbing one-handed at his heart. The Inquisitor thumbed a control on his lightsaber, and a second blade snapped out of the other side, spinning to deflect his blow. Caden's eyes widened. _A…double-bladed lightsaber…great._ The Inquisitor twirled his saber a few times, grinning madly and rushing toward Caden, who leapt over him and landed ten feet at his back. Xel's heart leapt into his chest when the black-red blur of his enemy rushed to meet him, eyes barely tracking his movements fast enough to keep him alive.

Blue met red again and again as they dueled, the boy giving ground every second that passed until he was pushed back onto a catwalk. The Inquisitor slashed downward with his right-hand blade, a strike Xel dodged, then spun counterclockwise to drive a hard strike into his vertical guard with his left. The boy gritted his teeth as his feet slid almost a foot nearer to the edge and an unending drop. His eyes stared into the grinning expression of the Inquisitor, the Sith pushing harder and causing him to slide another couple of inches. Xel snarled and drew his blaster with one hand, firing repeatedly.

The Inquisitor snapped his head to the side, dodging the first few shots, then withdrawing and deflecting a few more, allowing Xel to regain his footing. The Mando rapidly checked on En's position, then fired a wrist rocket at his opponent. The Inquisitor ducked to the side, right into the path of another rocket, then waved his hand hard and redirected the missile into a wall. A Force Push sent Xel flying into the hallway at his back, and the Inquisitor sprinted toward him, intending to corner him in tight quarters. His semi-circular lightsaber hilt expanded into a full circle as he approached Caden, the dual blades starting to spin around the track of the circle.

Xel's eyes went wide. _What the hell? Mine can't do that!_ Caden withdrew as steadily as he advanced, at a slow stride, blue blade angled toward his spinning ones. The propeller blades kept rotating in a blur of red light, and Xel focused in the Force, closing his eyes as he came to a stop, then opening them when he felt a warm sense of confidence fill him. The blades didn't seem to be moving quite so fast, and he began to see openings in his opponent's approach. A malevolent smile came to his face, and he lunged forward in a stab.

The rotating blades came to a stop when one locked with Xel's, the tip dangerously close to the Sith's neck. The look of surprise on his face was priceless for the instant it was present. The instant before it morphed into a mask of sheer hatred. His head lowered slightly and glowing yellow eyes met Xel's through his visor, the perverse fire in them sending a burst of cold fear into his blood. The black hole expanded and increased its hold. The Inquisitor's attitude had turned from near-humorous to deadly serious.

_Oh _shab_._

Xel withdrew just a moment before a glowing blade slashed through where his neck had just been, the Inquisitor swinging again and again with his double-blade. It was all he could do not to lose an arm or other appendage, much less counterattack. The Sith advanced again and again, smacking Xel's blade away from his body, then grabbing him by the neck and throwing him back onto the catwalk. Caden rolled to a stop, scrambling to his feet and rolling away from his opponent's next strike before jetpacking away, firing his pistols several times. The Inquisitor deflected several rounds, sending two back toward him and hitting him dead in the chest.

Caden snarled and yelped in panic when an iron Force Grip pulled him toward an outstretched red blade. He ignited his own saber and spun it counterclockwise, smacking the tip away and thrusting the pommel at his face. The Inquisitor smacked his hilt aside and punched his faceplate, jolting and knocking him back. Xel ducked his next swipe and thrust his blade upward, then spun and leapt into the air, slashing at him from above and landing at his back, thrusting backward and stabbing at his exposed back.

The Sith moved away and charged back, deactivating his second blade and locking swords with Xel.

"Juyo and Ataru," he snarled. "So you assimilate other styles into your own. Fascinating." He pushed Xel back two steps, toward the edge of the railed platform. "You must know by now that you can't win, boy." He laid more force in and Xel slid another couple feet. "You are nothing before me, a mere insect."

"This insect," Xel hissed, "is still breathing."

"For the moment." The Inquisitor's fiery gaze seemed to relax a bit. "You _could_ be more, you know. In fact, you've already taken the first step."

Xel's eyes narrowed.

"I can feel your anger, boy. Your hatred. Your Jedi brother was not able to winnow them out, and that is good. It means you can still be saved. Give in to the Dark Side. Join the Sith." He nodded at Treyvan. "It is the only way you can save him and the rest of your friends."

Caden was shaking progressively more violently, but not in strain, in anger. His fuel kept piling up and building in pressure. One good spark would set it off, and he intended to. "You have…no idea who I am. _What_ I am." His arms pushed back hard as a growl emanated from his throat, the Inquisitor's blade actually gaining some distance from his body. "I am no boy." He channeled his anger into his arms, and the Sith was sent stumbling back a few steps. "I am _Mando'ad_, a child of Mandalore. I am a brother and a son and a friend. I am my family's embodiment of vengeance." His saber twirled into a two-handed grip, blade held high and in front of him. "And I _live_ to _kill_ Sith."

The Inquisitor snarled, his second blade activating. "So be it." He charged toward Xel, twirling his saber and slashing horizontally as the boy's left hand dipped to his belt.

The crimson blades met blue and green as one saber met each of the Inquisitor's in a lock.

"Your resistance is futile, boy! Your friends, your family will _burn_!"

"Then you will burn _with _them!" Xel roared.

The Sith raised his eyebrows in surprise a moment before Xel shoved both blades upward and thrust-kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back a step before the Mando descended in a torrent of blue and green blurs, one strike following the next and forcing him on the defensive as the full force of his anger burned against his enemy. A bellowing roar came from Xel's vocalizer as he battered his enemy's guard again and again, driving him toward the opposite edge of the platform. He almost couldn't believe it. He was winning. Of course, there was a reason he didn't believe it. It wasn't true.

When both his blades swung in the same direction, the Inquisitor slashed upward, knocking Telia's lightsaber from his left hand, then thrust toward his chest with the opposite blade. Xel barely managed to deflect it, but the Force Push that followed sent him flying into a wall. The Sith was relentless, slamming him into one metal wall after the next until he dumped him in the center of the platform, lightsaber flying from his hand. He approached and kicked off his helmet, then placed a boot on Xel's sore chest, pressing down hard. Caden hissed out a breath through clenched teeth.

"Your compassion for your loved ones is your weakness, Xel Caden."

The boy smiled crookedly at the tip of the blade four inches from his face. "And your lack of it is yours."

The Inquisitor smirked. "How so? Your comrade lies crippled and maimed beyond repair. Your friends are steadily being pushed into an inescapable corner." He nodded his head at Xel. "And you, my boy, now lie at my feet, disarmed, helpless, and moments away from death." He arched an eyebrow mockingly. "Where then does my disadvantage lie?"

Xel smirked and cocked his head. "_Tion'ad hukaat'kama_? Who's watching your back?" He grinned sinisterly. "Because I _always_ know who watches mine."

The Inquisitor obviously disagreed, by the way he scowled and raised his blade for a two-handed falling strike.

_Snap-hiss._

As the Inquisitor's blade fell, Xel watched it collide with a blazing sapphire shaft, blocking the blow and spinning to point in its direction. A moment's glance saw the thrown lightsaber return to Alen's outstretched hand. The Inquisitor, snarling, blade angled at the newly arrived Jedi, was too distracted to notice Xel's angry scowl or the way he threw his hands up. Caden released his anger in a double-handed Force Push that sent him colliding with the ceiling, then rolled into a crouch and let him down only to slam him against a wall on the far side of the room.

A wall hanging over the bottomless pit.

Xel smirked malevolently, locking eyes with the Sith's hate-filled orbs before just letting his hands fall, and his enemy with them.

The Mando inhaled and exhaled heavily a few times, slowly but surely turning to his brother. "Thanks, _vod_. He had me."

Alen smiled as he strode toward him. "You don't have to thank me. You were right." He put a hand on Xel's shoulder. "I'll _always_ have your back." The Jedi looked behind him and paled.

Xel sighed and turned. "I know." The pair approached En's unconscious body, kneeling on either side.

"That…monster," Alen breathed.

"Now do you see why I couldn't be on defense?"

The Jedi shot him a look, but nodded. "The wound's cauterized," he said, voice a little shaky, "but it can still kill him if he doesn't get medical attention, and soon."

"Agreed," Xel said with a nod, recalling his lightsabers and helmet and slipping the latter on. "I'll take En, you cover my back."

"Right," Alen agreed numbly, staring at the rebel's severed leg. "You're the stronger one anyway."

Xel pursed his lips and slung Treyvan over his shoulder, using his free hand to tap Alen's arm and get him moving. They both headed toward the nearest turbolift, relief flooding them when it got moving without issue. A burst of static filled both their ears, and they flinched in tandem before a voice reached them.

"Hello, does anyone copy? Respond, please!"

Xel tapped his helmet. "I'm here, Linn. We've got En." He glanced over at the man slung over his shoulder and grunted as he adjusted him. "He's in pretty bad shape."

"All right…look, you need to get to the mid-level hangar bay. We're exiting through the roof, but the _Ghost's_ crew got flushed out of the lower levels. Their ship is heading for an RV at the hangar right now, and considering how many Imperials are swarming this place, it's starting to look like your only ticket out."

"Roger that. We'll make it."

Alen frowned and nodded determinedly, igniting his lightsaber as the lift came to a stop. They charged out in tandem, blaster fire greeting them as Alen batted it all away, clearing a path for his brother and unconscious cargo. They ran as fast as possible down one corridor after the next, slowly but surely making their way to the hangar. One final door was in their way, and Xel was so intent on getting out that he didn't realize it was locked until he slammed into it shoulder-first.

"_Haar'chak_! It's sealed!"

Seeing that Alen was busy holding off the attacking stormtroopers, Xel reached for his belt with his free hand and ignited his saber, slowly but surely cutting a way through the blast door. The cut-away section fell on the other side with a firm kick from Caden, and he went through followed by Alen, free hand planting a detpack on the doorframe and detonating it once they were clear. Of course, "clear" was a relative term, considering they promptly found themselves surrounded by over two dozen stormtroopers.

"Well," Alen deadpanned, "do you have a plan B?"

Xel opened his mouth to answer when a half-dozen thermal detonators dropped from the ventilation shaft above—right onto the enemy squads.

"Hit the deck!"

Most of the stormtroopers did just that…some in several pieces. A neon pink Mandalorian dropped from the ceiling, followed by two Jedi and one bo-rifle-toting Lasat.

"Move!" Zeb shouted to the pair as he fired at the remaining troopers.

"Trying!" Xel yelled back irately as he was forced to duck behind the cover of a storage crate.

The _Ghost _had already made its appearance at the exit of the hangar and was currently hovering just six feet away from the edge, its landing ramp down. Four Specters leapt aboard, then turned around to give the brothers covering fire.

"Go!" Alen shouted, prompting Xel to channel the Force into an all-out sprint.

With the Epicanthix slung over his shoulder, Xel sprung forward mid-step twenty feet from the Ghost, wincing as it was hit repeatedly with laser fire, then spun a full 360 and threw En, adding Force to the toss and guiding him into Zeb's waiting arms. He ignited his lightsaber as Alen ran past, deflecting absently and sprinting for the ramp.

"We can't hold this position!" Hera yelled into her comlink as Alen leapt aboard, the ship starting to rise and disengage.

Xel nodded and sprinted for the vessel, then stopped in his tracks when he saw a familiar flash of red. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted, throwing his lightsaber and intercepting the Inquisitor's propeller-like saber en-route to the _Ghost's _landing ramp. He turned and faced the Sith as both their lightsabers returned to their hands, staring each other down.

"What is he _doing_?" Ezra asked Alen incredulously.

"My thoughts exactly," Li-am agreed, eyeing his brother warily.

Xel scowled at the Inquisitor, wondering in the back of his head how he survived, then spotting something at his back that would allow them to leave without being followed. All the while, the _Ghost _was getting further and further away, and the flashing lights on his HUD were indicating that his jetpack had malfunctioned, probably as a byproduct of being repeatedly pummeled with the Force. His eyes closed briefly as a confident smile came to his face.

Alen felt it through their Bond, if his deadpanned, "Oh Force," was any indication.

Xel's eyes snapped open, and he threw his lightsaber with pinpoint accuracy. The Inquisitor snarled and deflected the strike—right into the power assembly of a nearby cargo loader. The blade melted through the safety shielding on the massive machine's power cell, exposing the volatile core to unsafe amounts of heat, then returned to its owner a moment later as he gave the Sith a mocking salute. Xel sprinted for the edge as a fireball engulfed the Inquisitor, yelling as he directed the last of his anger into the furthest Force-powered leap he'd ever taken.

It still wasn't enough, leaving him at least twenty feet short of the ramp. Of course, having three Jedi on the other end helped, given that they Gripped and carried him inside, helping him into the lounge and watching him pull his helmet off a moment before he collapsed.

…

Sabine's armored boot nudged his side a few moments later.

"What?" he whined.

"Don't you wanna see the fireworks?"

Xel's eyes went wide as his face split into a gigantic grin, head bobbing emphatically.

She sighed and rolled her eyes in the safety of her helmet. _Of course,_ she thought. _The only time he ever seems like a kid, and it has to be when there's an explosion._ Sabine smirked wider. _I _guess_ I was kinda the same way._ The six piled into the _Phantom_, the attached jump ship on the rear of the ship, and watched in rapt attention as she hit the trigger, causing a blossom of chained explosions across the lower rim of the outpost. A certain sense of glee rushed through the older Mandalorian as she watched it collapse, and she realized there was no "kinda" or "was" about her previous thought.

Her eyes drifted to the armored boy at her right, inspecting his bruised face and suspecting there was much more damage underneath. He met her gaze after a few seconds, the smile on his face doing nothing to hide the look in his eyes. _It's still there. After all these months…it's still there._ Though they brightened a bit as he grinned and gave her a double thumbs-up nodding appreciatively at the falling structure, her fist clenched as she suspected they would still carry that immense weight for the rest of his life.

And she hated the Empire for it.

* * *

AN: Okay, this chapter is _definitely_ AU, given that (spoiler alert) the Inquisitor died at the end of Rebels season one, but...I _loved_ his sadistic, sociopathic character way too much to just let him die. He was too good a villain. Besides, since when does anyone ever die in explosions anymore? Please review this chapter. I really need to know if I've still got the stuff to make my duels good.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: In the wake of the Inquisitor's failure, Vader reveals his true motives for giving him the assignment and tasks him with another. When Xel discovers the effects of his meddling, he must leave the rebels and race against time to save an old friend from certain death.


	32. Keep Your Friends Close

Sabine's eyes drifted to the armored boy at her right, inspecting his bruised face and suspecting there was much more damage underneath his armor. He met her gaze after a few seconds, the smile on his face doing nothing to hide the look in his eyes. _It's still there. After all these months…it's still there._ Though they brightened a bit as he grinned and gave her a double thumbs-up nodding appreciatively at the falling structure, her fist clenched as she suspected they would still carry that immense weight for the rest of his life.

And she hated the Empire for it.

…

1 day later

Imperial garrison, Ilum

3 months BBY

Two rows of jagged teeth clenched as their owner keyed on a holoprojector, kneeling and bowing his head as far as it would go. When the picture solidified, the figure on the other end answered the summons.

"Speak."

The Inquisitor gulped hard, throat raw and sore from breathing in smoke and high-heat air. "Lord Vader, I regret to inform you…that I have failed." He closed his eyes firmly, waiting for the inevitable constricting around his throat, wondering after a few seconds why nothing was happening.

"Good."

A pair of yellow eyes snapped open as the Inquisitor stared openmouthed at Darth Vader's blue-tinged image. "My lord?" he asked in shock. "You mean to say…you _expected_ me to fail?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not, but it was my hope."

The lesser Sith clenched his teeth in agitation and anger. "For what purpose?" he asked, schooling his voice into something far more subservient than he felt.

"If he could not survive against you, then he is of no use to me. I needed to fully verify his potential."

The Inquisitor stared at his image for a few moments as the pieces clicked into place. "I see. What now then?"

"Now you give me a full report of your engagement. What exactly occurred?"

He took a deep breath, controlling his anger before speaking. "I took one of his comrades hostage and cut his leg off when he resisted. When Caden arrived, he took the sight rather…badly."

"Meaning?"

"He became enraged, my lord, and attempted to channel his anger into defeating me."

"I take it he did not succeed."

"No, my lord, though I must say, as his fury increased over the course of the fight, so did his strength by an _exponential_ amount. I have not felt such raw power since the Bridger child…and perhaps not even then."

"Is that so? Interesting…"

The Inquisitor stayed silent, unwilling to risk Vader's wrath should he interrupt his train of thought.

"Now that you are aware of my true purpose, I have another task, one that you have adopted before."

"You want me to turn him to the Dark Side."

Vader nodded. "Precisely. Considering his history and your own experience, it seems that his full rage can only be triggered when he witnesses the pain or loss of someone close to him. If he is to be turned completely, he must lose everything he values, but for now, you will determine how far he falls when someone close to him is lost."

The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow. "His brother perhaps?"

"No," Vader said sharply, emphasizing his point with a firm index. "That boy is one of the last of his bloodline, and if your report is any indication, it is a powerful line indeed. I have plans for those two. They are not to be harmed, under any circumstances."

"Who then, my lord?"

Darth Vader tapped a computer on his end, sending a transmission of data. "This file contains a detailed dossier on a close associate of his. You are to eliminate her indirectly, via a proxy."

"May I ask why?"

"No one must know our true plan, especially not Xel, and if you are discovered to be involved in her death, it will arouse the suspicions of his Jedi brother."

"You believe if he discovers our intentions to turn him, he will resist even more."

"I am certain of it. If past dealings have taught me anything, it is that he is fiercely independent-minded, and will not easily give up his free will. I leave this in your hands, Inquisitor."

He bowed low. "It shall be done, my lord."

…

2 days later

The Kandosii'tal, Ilum

"No offense, Master, but is that all you've got?"

Xel grinned cockily and swung again, his sapphire blade deflecting off Peetee's green one, Telia's loaned saber acting as his weapon as they practiced in the ship's spacious armory. They had been at this for months, Xel periodically picking up elements of different styles in an attempt to mimic Vader's hybrid form. Thus far, his machine companion had proven to be a match for his abilities at full strength, at least with a lightsaber, but the Mando was improving steadily. Alen and Kanan were watching their duel with rapt interest, Sabine, Ezra, and the rest of the _Ghost_ and _Kandosii'tal_ crew standing off to the side and chatting. Hera Syndulla, the _Ghost's_ Twi'lek pilot, had taken a vested interest in the brothers and quickly established a "mother hen" image in both their minds, as well as Iola's.

Ezra had informed them it was a common occurrence, one that had taken place for the Specters years before. It was just the kind of person she was. As Xel leapt over the droid, legs brushing the ceiling, he slashed at PT's head. The droid deftly deflected the blow, slashing at his falling legs and rebounding when Xel twirled his saber downward, knocking the green blade away.

"He's gotten good," Alen said absently.

"What was he like before?" Kanan asked, arms crossed.

The young Jedi cocked his head. "You mean in combat or as a person?"

Jarrus blinked and gave him a sideways look. "What do you mean?"

Alen shrugged. "It's nothing. He was just different is all."

"Different how?"

"Like…happier?" He shook his head. "I don't know. Before we joined the Rebellion, he wasn't as dark as he is now." Alen's expression darkened. "The catalyst has more blame to take, though."

Kanan raised an eyebrow. "Catalyst?"

"A…death in the family. Two of them, actually. I'm surprised Ezra hasn't told you."

He shook his head. "He keeps conversations between friends private, especially with sensitive matters."

Alen smiled. "Well…Xel…_we_ lost both our parents to the Empire. More specifically, we lost them to the Sith."

Kanan sighed heavily. "That's rough," he admitted. His eyes blinked rapidly at Alen's wording. "Wait, why did you default to saying that _Xel_ lost them?"

The boy closed his eyes and sighed. "Because frankly, he's taking it a lot harder than I am."

Jarrus nodded slowly. "It shows. Sabine's been telling me that he has this…distant look in his eyes sometimes. When I started looking at him closer, I saw it too."

Alen cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "It almost seems like you understand from experience."

"I was a member of the old Jedi Order, so I know what it's like to lose family, considering they were all I had." His eyes darkened. "And it's the look I saw in Ezra's eyes every so often when the subject of his parents came up."

"Oh…right."

Alen returned his gaze to the twisting, crackling pattern of interlocking strikes and swipes, his brother sweating heavily. A loud beeping klaxon came from the cockpit, and Xel raised his hand off his saber to halt the session, both of them deactivating their weapons, the droid handing him Telia's.

…

"Good job, Tee," Xel complimented, marching toward the cockpit, droid in tow.

"Thank you, Master. If you don't mind, I'd like to power down for now."

"Go ahead." Xel approached his holoterminal and keyed it on, toweling off his face at it warmed up. The image that was projected caught him off-guard and immediately set his nerves on edge, eyes widening. "Maila."

"Xel." Her voice was agitated, nervous, maybe a little…fearful? "I'm…in a spot of trouble."

He leaned toward the terminal, one hand on its base, the other on the captain's chair, eyes glancing behind him to see Alen closing the armory door. He smiled in thanks, then turned back and nodded to Maila. "Talk to me."

She fidgeted nervously and glanced around her. He got the distinct impression she was looking over her shoulder. "Remember when I said I hadn't done anything to piss the Empire off?"

He nodded.

"Apparently I have. I just got wind that there's a _gigantic_ bounty on my head—strictly dead."

His lips parted slightly as his eyes widened in shock. "How big we talkin'?"

She grimaced. "Just over 200K."

Xel's eyes maxed out as he ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath. "_Shab_. Are you sure it's the Empire?"

"Well, the only other people that could front that kind of cash are the Hutts, and I do my best to stay well away from their business."

A thousand other questions flew through his mind, one rising to the fore. "Why?"

She pursed her lips tightly. "I don't know."

He could hear hesitation in her voice and narrowed his eyes at it, leaning and staring at her image intently. "But you suspect."

Maila gulped a little, pushing her hair behind her ear and leaving his intense gaze for a moment before looking at him sheepishly.

Xel blinked rapidly and let out a sharp breath. "Me."

She gulped and nodded slightly.

He scowled slightly as he slumped into the pilot's seat, head in his hands. "_Osik._ Not what I wanted to hear." Xel shook his head. "And here I thought by staying away you'd be safe."

"Guilt by association I guess," she said bitterly.

His eyes snapped to her. "Go to ground. Hide. Leave every connection you have to the outside world at your office and disappear." He got to his feet, his hands sweeping over the communicator's controls, sending a coded message over the link. "Use this frequency to send me your location when you're secure. It's a tightbeam link, strictly two-way between you and me. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Got it," she said with a gulp.

"Maila…stay safe. Please."

She gave him as warm a smile as she could muster. "Do my best."

When her image vanished, he called Commander Tobin's personal holocom.

"Tobin here."

"It's Xel. I just got a message from a friend of mine, an information broker on Nar Shaddaa."

Tobin's brows furrowed.

"I'm afraid I have to leave for the time being. Somehow the Empire managed to tie her to me, so they've put an exorbitant bounty on her head, to be paid once her corpse is delivered."

A quick intake of breath was heard from the other end. "That's bad news." He looked away. "This broker friend of yours, is she involved in the Rebellion?"

"No, not in any capacity. Apparently, the fact that she knows me is enough to make her a target."

"Why?" Tobin's eyes narrowed. "Xel, first the Inquisitor traps you inside that outpost and tries to kill you, and now someone in your circle of influence is in danger. Why are you so important to the Empire?"

Xel's lips pressed together. "The short answer is Force-sensitivity. I'm important because I exist, and I'm using my talents to help you."

Tobin looked away, hand tucked under his chin. "If their intent is to eliminate you then you have to consider the possibility that this bounty is a trap."

Xel blinked rapidly, lips parting slightly.

"If they know she's linked to you, they may have posted the reward to lure you away from the safety of the Alliance."

The Mando averted his narrowed eyes and clenched his jaw. "That may be…but at this point it's irrelevant." He gave the commander a firm look. "She's in trouble and needs help. And she's gonna get it. If the plan is to lure me into a trap, I doubt the hunters were informed. Their efforts won't be concerted, which gives me the advantage. Besides, all I have to do is get her offworld and off the grid, not take on every hunter out there."

Tobin nodded. "Understood. Take all the time you need. If you need help, all you have to do is ask. You're an asset to the Rebellion, one we can't afford to lose, and if I can help you, I will."

Xel smiled and dipped his head. "I appreciate that, but this situation needs a hunter, not soldiers. I'll let you know if I need anything."

"Good hunting."

The link closed, and Xel leaned against the inactive projector for a moment, the sudden weight on his shoulders making it hard to breathe. Once again, someone he cared about was in danger just by nature of knowing him. _What could they hope to accomplish?_ _She doesn't know anything about the Rebellion, and relatively little about me._ His head shook as he straightened and moved toward the armory door. _Doesn't matter. She needs my help and she's going to get it._ The door slid open with a hiss, revealing the eight rebels on the other side, all staring at him intently.

"Something's come up and I have to go for now."

Several of them stared, including a helmeted Sabine, though he couldn't be sure with the visor in the way.

"A friend's in trouble, and I'm the only backup she's got."

Alen straightened and approached him. "You mean—"

"Maila," Xel confirmed.

The Jedi set his stance. "Let's go then."

He shook his head. "No. You're needed here, as a tactician and soldier."

"Xel—"

He raised a hand to cut him off. "Relax. This'll be over before you know it. It's a regular Kessel Run."

Alen's eyebrow rose.

"Okay, I get it, still dangerous, but I can handle it. _Alone_."

The Jedi sighed but nodded, sharing a look with Iola before returning his focus to Xel. "We'll be here when you get back."

Xel smiled and nodded. "Now, if you'd all be so kind, please leave the ship so I can get out of here. The faster I get this done, the sooner I'll be back."

They dutifully filed down the exit ramp, the column ending with a seemingly reluctant Sabine, who turned to him.

He just raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"You'll call us if you need help, won't you?"

Xel smiled. "Of course."

She stared at him for another moment or two, some tension falling over her shorter frame, before nodding and walking out of sight.

The boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion for a moment before retracting the ramp and starting the _Kandosii'tal's_ engines. The ship rose from the frozen planet's surface and shot into the void of space, leaving behind ice crystals and smoke as he shot into hyperspace.

…

Nar Shaddaa

Xel exited hyperspace and immediately checked his terminal for any transmissions. A blinking red light informed him of one marked "urgent." The images that displayed sent his heart skipping beats.

"Xel!"

The sounds and sight of blaster fire were evident in the hologram as Maila shouted out her message.

"They found me!" Static cut off her words for a moment. "—try to get away, but I don't know if—it's a trap! They were waiting for—contact me!"

Xel blinked rapidly, alarm filling his bloodstream. His blood ran cold at the expression and order she gave him next.

"Don't…come after me."

Her eyes were steel, but there was a wild, terrified look to them that sent Xel's heart stuttering in near-panic. Another blaster shot rang out, and it must have hit the projector, because the message cut out an instant later. A shuddering breath left him as he slumped back in his seat, mouth going slack as he ran a hand over his face. On a whim, he checked the timestamp of the message and gulped when he saw it had been sent just ten minutes after she'd called him. Her garbled message suddenly made sense. Whoever was after her had already tracked her location; they were just waiting for her to contact him, to throw out the bait. Blue eyes darkened and narrowed.

This completely disproved his earlier theory. The hunters, or at least the one who'd attacked her, knew of the greater plan, if the plan was indeed to get him killed. This meant his enemies were going to be working in concert, which would make his job exponentially more difficult. He keyed the projector back on and froze the message at a certain point. Based on the limited view of Maila's surroundings, he surmised she was in her office when the attack took place. The _Kandosii'tal_ accelerated massively as he shot toward her building, landing a few minutes later and storming out the ramp in full gear, pistols clearing their holsters instantly as he sprinted inside.

Two barrels swept every corner, nook, and cranny, all six senses trained on his surroundings. The evidence of battle was clear, but no life forms were present. Based on how long it took to travel to Nar Shaddaa, he figured the hunters had about a three day head-start on him. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he saw blood splatters on Maila's desk and the area behind it, kneeling down and focusing in the Force. He couldn't reconstruct a scene quite like Alen, but he could pick up enough to know if an actual death occurred. Based on the latent Force energy, it had, but…the feeling was different from the one he'd come to associate with his Zeltron friend.

He examined the blood a little more closely before realizing it wasn't Zeltron. It was Nikto. _So…Jeel's dead._ He frowned solemnly. _A shame. He seemed like a good man._ Xel stood slowly, looking for any other sign of Maila. Another five minutes revealed nothing more than traces of fear that led to a broken window large enough to accommodate a speeder. His teeth clenched as an iron grip curled around his heart.

A loud beep interrupted his thoughts, and he followed it to a small recording device on the floor near her desk. He keyed it on warily, one eye trained on the exits at all times.

"Hello, Xel."

Caden's blood ran cold at the sight of Jes Tenau in full armor.

"I figured you'd be along soon enough after the _schutta_ gave you a call. Don't worry. She's not dead…yet. If you want it to stay that way, be at this location in half an hour."

Coordinates filled the screen.

"If you don't show…well, you have an imagination." His image leaned toward Xel. "And I'll make it last."

Xel's upper lip twitched in anger as he memorized the coordinates.

"By the way, she's quite spirited, your flame. I'm surprised you didn't keep her on a tighter leash. I know I would."

His entire body was shaking slightly at this point.

"Don't worry," he taunted darkly, "I haven't enjoyed her _too_ much."

An animalistic growl came from Xel's throat as the recorder sputtered and died, its hull cracking and bending inward before shattering into a hundred pieces for no apparent reason. The young Mando was breathing heavily, oxygen flowing in and out of him in choppy gasps as both fists clenched hard. By the time his senses somewhat returned, half the loose objects in the room were at least slightly deformed, and the windows had cracks that weren't there before. He forced his hands to slack and lungs to breathe normally, using the Force to calm the rapid-fire of his heart and keep his rage under wraps for the time being.

He'd know when it was time to release it.

…

30 minutes later

Xel strode into the given location right on time, immediately noting the density of patrons around him to be somewhat more than usual. If this was a trap, Tenau obviously didn't care about collateral damage. Of course, the fact that he was working for the Empire and about to pick up a sizable paycheck probably gave him some leeway not to care. Sure enough, Tenau himself was seated at a table in the middle of the bar, helmet laid off to the side as he nursed a Corellian ale. The older Mando beckoned him to take a seat, and he reluctantly obeyed, eyes scanning the room for potential threats and finding a few almost instantly.

Tenau decidedly was _not_ alone.

"Can I offer you a drink?" asked the man in question, sliding a filled glass to his side of the table.

Xel just stared at him from behind his visor, hands on the table non-threateningly but tense all the same.

Jes shrugged. "Suit yourself. You may want a drink by the time this conversation is over though." Tenau reached for his glass, but quick as lightning, Xel's hand shot out to grab his.

"Cut the _osik_." He somehow managed to keep his tone even. "You have a friend of mine. I want her back. Now."

Tenau held his free hand up in surrender, but smirked mockingly all the same as Caden released him. "Come on, Xel. You _know_ I can't do that." He took a swig of his ale. "I've gotta make a living, and letting a bounty go just isn't good for business. Besides, I wouldn't if I could." He smirked. "I'm having way too much fun."

As expected, Xel tensed slightly, but gave no other indication he was affected. "You know what they say. Too much of a good thing…"

Tenau smiled. "So they do. Unfortunately, there's not really any good in your future."

Caden tensed again as he felt more than saw the drawing of numerous blasters around him. _At least a dozen contacts, plus Tenau._

He leaned in close and whispered conspiratorially. "See, what the rest of the hunters don't know is that there's a half-million bounty if I bring you in alive. Of course, if you give yourself up, I might decide to let her live. After all, 500K is better than 200."

"Live?" Xel asked quietly. He gave a sardonic chuckle. "For what? As what?"

"Well…" Tenau smiled lewdly. "I'm sure I can think of something."

The fierce glare Xel leveled at the man sitting across from him could practically be felt, as could the tension in the room as the two Mandos stared each other down. It happened faster than anyone could later account for.

The edge of the table slammed into Tenau's chest as Xel used its supports to kick away from the table, his chair legs squealing against the slick floor as several blasters rang out at once. The chair tipped backward after about six feet of movement, and Xel launched himself backward, rolling onto a tabletop as it tipped with his weight, putting a small bit of cover between him and his attackers. His blasters cleared their holsters as he heard Tenau bark orders to his men, and Xel realized that most, if not the entirety of the bar's occupants were armed and shooting in his direction.

A rapid-fire salvo forced several of them under cover before Xel launched a rocket at a nearby wall and jetpacked backward through it, firing as he fled. His feet hit the deck as he broke into a sprint toward the nearest edge only to grind to a stop when a speeder rose in front of him. His blasters leveled at its driver compartment when the door opened to reveal—

Xel's eyes bloomed. "Sabine?! What the hell are you—"

"You want to talk or live?!"

He blinked once before leaping inside and seating himself, the speeder shooting off as Tenau and a half-dozen thugs ran out of the bar and fired on them. Sabine deftly avoided most of the shots in a spiraling dive. Xel's heart was in his throat as he realized she drove as crazy as him…without the guidance of the Force.

"Oh _shab_," he breathed, "what did I get myself into?"

"Hold on!" she shouted as she took the speeder into a hard turn that sent his stomach flipping.

"To what?!" he asked incredulously, noting the distinct lack of a seatbelt.

Another dozen insane maneuvers later, and Xel was borderline praying to be let out of this crazy woman's vehicle, despite the fact that three enemy speeders, armed and loaded with mercs, were chasing them. He'd risk a firefight over this deathtrap.

"Let me drive," he said quietly, nauseous and nearly out of breath.

"What?"

"I said," he nearly yelled, "let me drive!"

"Why?"

He just stared at her, yelping when the speeder jolted with blaster fire and smacked the side of a building. "I can get us out of here faster than you can!"

"Look, kid, Force or no Force, I can handle myself!"

"First off, I'm not a kid—" The speeder shuddered again, and Xel growled. "And secondly, I know you can, but the guy chasing us is a Mando too, and we need every edge we can get."

She seemed to think about it for a moment before once again taking them into a spiraling dive, then turning a corner and causing one of the trailing speeders to crash trying to mimic her maneuver. "Fine, switch!"

Xel rapidly hauled her from her seat and replaced her at the controls, feeling the Force flow through him and drive away his fear and dizziness as his hands danced, causing the speeder to do the same. He barely heard Sabine's exhaled "whoa" as he deftly avoided every laser blast thrown in their direction, then dipped slightly to skid between two horizontal supports. Another of the pursuing speeders got damaged attempting to follow, and Caden smirked as he saw a massive billboard just above them. Before Sabine could stop him, Xel opened the driver-side door and ignited his lightsaber, throwing it in a smooth arc that cut the primary supports of the board.

The massive structure tumbled toward them as the blue lightsaber returned to its master, his speeder accelerating just out of range of the board. Tenau's speeder came to a stop, barely avoiding the falling object but falling behind as Xel and Sabine disappeared around a corner and twisted through four more before he could even get moving again. Five minutes later and they were sure they'd lost him. Xel exhaled hard in relief, making another few turns before arcing back toward where he'd parked his ship. His eyes glanced over at Sabine, and he studied her armored form for a few moments before coughing discreetly.

"Not that I don't appreciate the rescue but…what are you _doing_ here?"

She turned her head to face him. "You said you needed a hunter."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "How could you know—" His head tipped toward her. "You were tapped into my call. Really?"

She sighed. "Yes. I realize how that might be interpreted as a breach of trust, but…you were acting weird, and I could see how much your friend's situation was affecting you."

"So?"

"So we stowed away on your ship and tailed you." Sabine pulled her helmet off with an audible exhale. "You lied to me when you said you'd call for help if you needed it."

Xel's eyes narrowed, his frustration making him overlook the "we" in her statement.

"And friends don't let friends walk into an ambush alone."

"I didn't walk into an ambush," he defended, climbing out of the speeder. "I walked into a meeting that doubled as an ambush…and I expected it."

"It was still a stupid thing to do without backup," she insisted, following him onto the ship.

Annoyed and frustrated at her stubbornness, Xel shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. It was stupid." He pulled off his helmet, deep blue eyes and facial expression fully showing his displeasure. "Now what do you want?"

"What do you think? I'm here to help you get your friend back."

"Correction," a new voice said from one of the crew quarters. "_We're_ here to help you."

Xel let his jaw drop as he stared at the four figures that emerged from all corners of the _Kandosii'tal_. Alen, in full Jedi regalia, lightsaber and blaster sitting concealed beneath the folds of his robe; Ezra, with his trademark orange-brown jacket and gun-saber; PT-37, metal body scuffed and scarred and looking as dangerous as the weapons concealed in his chassis; and Linn Riilos, red hair swinging in a shoulder-length ponytail as she put her hands on her well-armed hips and gave Xel her best scolding smile.

"You…you shouldn't be here," Caden finally managed. "This is my fight, not yours."

"Xel," Alen sighed, approaching his brother and slinging an arm around his shoulders, "when are you gonna understand? We're your friends and family." He drew away and put both hands on Xel's shoulders, a fierce look on his face. "Your fight _is_ our fight."

Overcome as his five uninvited guests drew closer, Xel smiled and looked down, eyes stinging. "Thank you."

…

5 minutes later

"So what do we know?"

"Thus far, Tenau's made it very clear that he has every intention of keeping Maila, not handing her over for the bounty."

Alen pursed his lips at Xel's obvious anger.

"He wants me instead, so he's acquired _her_ as bait. And he's keeping her close." Xel clenched a fist and narrowed his eyes at a wall. "_Very_ close."

Alen shot Xel a questioning look, but his brother returned a glare that stopped that line of questioning.

"Even if she _is_ the bait," Sabine began, "he won't make her easy to find."

"Oh," Xel responded, "but he already has." He tapped a few keys on the holoprojector in the center of the armory, bringing up an image of Nar Shaddaa—as well as a single red dot."

"Is that—" Linn started.

"Yes," Caden answered immediately. "I put a tracker on Jes Tenau."

Sabine shook her head. "He's a Mando hunter. There's no way he's gonna fall for that. He'll have checked."

"Yes, he will…which is why I put _two_ on him. One on the inside of a gauntlet plate, the other, well…" He smirked malevolently. "It isn't so much _on_ him as _in_ him."

Ezra's eyebrows shot up. "You _fed_ him the tracker?"

Xel shrugged. "In a manner of speaking. Technically, he drank it. Slipped it in his ale when he was focused on me. I doubt he'll have scanned his stomach for any trackers, and besides, after finding the first one, he'll have relaxed."

"Xel Caden," Linn started with a chuckle, "you just continue to surprise me."

The grin she shot him was infectiously affectionate, and Xel blinked once before returning a much smaller one, a twinge of something pleasant stirring in his gut. "_Vor entye_," he intoned with a small nod.

…

2 hours later

Xel crouched atop a shabby building, the fully armored Mando overlooking a well-disguised and well-protected holding facility. His built-in macrobinoculars showed several droids manning the perimeter and entrances, with transmitters built into their armor, probably connected to the base's alarms in case of destruction or intruders. They couldn't be seen going in, that was for sure.

"Caden," said Linn from his left. "I've got an idea."

"Let's hear it."

"It's…something I learned from En before…anyway, he told me that if you send concentrated bursts of static toward a droid's central processor, you can effectively project hallucinations. I have a program that'll show them movement outside the perimeter, away from those doors. They'll be forced to investigate—"

"Giving us an in without triggering any alarms," he finished, smiling. He nodded slowly. "Good catch, Linn."

She positively glowed at the praise, readying the device in question. "Tell me when."

"Copy. Stand by. Peetee, you ready for insertion?"

"Affirmative, Master."

"Get ready." He nodded to Linn, who activated the disruptor.

Mere seconds later, the droids started moving, and Xel gave Peetee the signal. The droid grabbed Alen and Ezra, the jump-jets on its back carrying it toward the unguarded door with a relatively small amount of noise. The moment the trio touched down, Caden grabbed Sabine and strode toward the edge of the roof.

"Hey," Linn protested, "what about me?"

Xel handed her a KiSteer 1284 projectile rifle. "You're on overwatch. We'll need you to cover our exit, and besides, that disruptor might come in handy to keep our pursuers off our trail."

Placated, she took the rifle and crouched down. "Be careful," she pleaded.

Xel just nodded and jetted toward the door, his Jedi brother slicing through the last bits of code keeping them out. The door slid open with a hydraulic hiss, permitting the five to enter unopposed, no guard and no—

"Caden!" Linn shouted over comms.

"What?" he growled.

"The droids, they're…sparking."

His dark blue eyes went wide. "What do you mean 'sparking'?"

"I mean…oh stars. I think the disruptor might've done more than give them hallucinations. I think they're about to—"

A loud popping sound came from behind them, through the open door, as one by one, the heads of the guard droids exploded. Their cheap metal bodies landed with distinctive thuds on the roof of the base, and Xel barely had time to brace himself before the head-splitting scream of alarm klaxons filled his ears.

"Well…_shab_," Sabine said simply.

He exchanged a look with her and his brother. "Plan B then."

Both blasters left Sabine's holsters as Peetee drew a Z-6 rotary cannon, Ezra and Alen their lightsabers, and Xel two very distinct and different weapons. A _snap-hiss_ and charging whine simultaneously filled the air as three sapphire blades lit the suddenly darkened hallway, the one at their head illuminating the fierce, unforgiving t-visor of a Mandalorian on a warpath.

_Ready or not, _hut'uun_, I'm coming for you._

* * *

AN: Nothing much to say on this chapter, just that we're about halfway through season two, if not a little more. The next chapter will close this story arc, and then we're back to the Ilum offensive. As for Maila…well, she's gonna have a hard time bouncing back from this one…if she survives it, anyway. And on that note…

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Xel and his companions storm Tenau's complex in search of their quarry, eventually splitting up. When it becomes clear that the Mando merc has no intention of letting them leave, though, he becomes the one obstacle still standing in their way—and an old sparring partner challenges him to the defining duel of both their lives.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones – Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant: start-1:07—Xel and Tenau's conversation, 1:07-1:20—bar shootout/quick exit, 1:20-2:51—chase through Nar Shaddaa and billboard collapse, 2:51-3:13—Xel and Sabine talk to arrival at _Kandosii'tal_


	33. And Your Enemies Closer

Both blasters left Sabine's holsters as Peetee drew a Z-6 rotary cannon, Ezra and Alen their lightsabers, and Xel two very distinct and different weapons. A _snap-hiss_ and charging whine simultaneously filled the air as three sapphire blades lit the suddenly darkened hallway, the one at their head illuminating the fierce, unforgiving t-visor of a Mandalorian on a warpath.

_Ready or not, _hut'uun_, I'm coming for you._

…

2 minutes later

Nar Shaddaa

3 months BBY

_Snap-hiss_.

A single vertical swing bisected one of several dozen security droids Xel had already gone through tonight. To his left, Sabine was redecorating the laser-mined walls of Tenau's compound, every so often having to duck and weave out of the way of incoming fire Xel couldn't deflect. PT-37 had its rotary cannon going on overdrive, with Alen and Ezra providing a protective wall of light for the slow-moving droid as they blackened the hallways with carbon scoring and burnt oil.

They'd been storming through one hall after the next, trying to find the nexus of the compound or at the very least a terminal that could be used to access this place's schematics. Thus far, no such luck. Apparently, Tenau had planned for every contingency. He knew about Xel's armor and skills, both with the Force and his body, about Alen and his talents with slicing, about Sabine and her penchant for explosives, about Ezra and his slippery nature. The only wild card was PT-37, and even it was having trouble hosing down Tenau's automated security faster than they could pop up.

Xel slashed the arm off a droid that tried to flank the group from a hidden doorway, firing his drawn pistol into two others in the main group. Blasters of a dozen different makes and models fired every second, red, orange, gold, and blue bolts coming from every direction.

"We need to get out of the open!" Sabine yelled over the never-ending din.

Caden pursed his lips and deflected another shot heading for his chest back into the shooter before nodding and pulling Telia's saber from his belt. The green blade ignited even as Alen got his back, PT stepping between Sabine and the incoming fire while slapping another gas cartridge into its cannon and opening up with a continuous stream of fire. Two ignited lightsabers plunged into a wall, cutting in parallel arcs until a circular plug about four feet in diameter was carved into the wall.

A firm kick dislodged it and admitted the group one by one, Ezra the last to duck inside the darkened room beyond. Peetee quickly reached down and grabbed the plug, shoving it back into its hole and holding it there as Ezra and Alen welded it shut with their sabers. The fire coming from the other side of the wall stopped even as the metallic steps of their attackers were heard through several layers of metal.

"They're surrounding us," Ezra remarked.

Xel exchanged a look with his brother before the latter nodded and strode to the center of the room, sabers angled downward.

"_What_ are you two _doing_?" Sabine asked.

"Making an exit," Alen replied. "There are no cameras in this room, and I didn't spot any heat sensors. That means Tenau is relying on line of sight to track us."

The Jedi gave his brother a nod, and they both plunged their sabers into the floor below, walking in parallel arcs and carving a similar circular hole, albeit much larger than the last one.

"If we drop one floor," Alen explained, "vanish off his radar, we can lose our pursuers, move around more freely."

The hole was finished a second later, and both Force Gripped the cut piece, lifting it from the hole and setting it aside to allow entry. They crouched down in tandem, Sabine activating a floodlight built into her helmet and illuminating duct after duct of ventilation shafts and wiring. At Ezra's dubious look, Alen shrugged and spoke up.

"Look at it this way. There's no way the droids'll be able to follow us down there."

Xel tensed when he finished talking, looking back up at Peetee, who was staring back as blankly as the t-visor that comprised its face. "We can't leave him behind."

Alen blinked rapidly and raised an eyebrow. "Him?"

Caden just turned his head to the ground. "Yeah. Him."

The Jedi looked back at the former Purge Trooper, the droid standing with both hands on its—_his_ rotary cannon, ready for either fight or flight and standing protectively over his master.

"Go," Peetee said after a tense moment. "I will hold them."

"Tee, no," Xel said immediately.

"I can withstand their assault."

"Not indefinitely. I built you well, but not _that_ well."

A bit of agitation seeped into the droid's voice. "Go, Master."

Caden rose to his feet and grabbed the droid's shoulders, shaking him as much as his own body was. "I am _not_ leaving _anyone else_ to die!" The room fell completely silent as Xel's fingers curled around the droid's shoulder plates, his chest heaving with heavy breaths. "You're not doing this, Tee," he said quietly, voice cracking. "I won't allow it." His t-visor leveled against Tee's. "That's an order, _vod_."

The droid stayed immobile for a few seconds. "Understood."

"Good," Xel said, voice back to normal as he strode back over to the hole, noting how one of the walls was beginning to glow with the telltale light of a plasma torch. "We go to Plan B then."

"I thought this _was_ Plan B," Sabine pointed out.

"Well then it's Plan C!" Ezra shouted in agitation. "With an army of killer droids drilling through that wall, does it _really_ matter right now?"

"We need to carve a path," said Xel, crouching down and ignoring them both. His saber lowered and went to his belt even as his left arm rose and angled toward the weaker sections of the ducts.

"Woah," Alen protested. "Woah, woah, woah, what are you doing?"

"Making an entrance."

Before Alen could protest further, a single wrist rocket shot from Xel's arm, blowing a four-foot hole in the metal below and sending smoke rising into their room.

"Well," Alen started flippantly between coughs, "if he didn't know our plan before, he does now."

"Let's move," Xel ordered, ignoring him as he leapt into the smoking hole.

Ezra and Alen followed next, already coughing hard. Peetee went in second-to-last and Sabine dropped at the end, firing a grappling hook into the side of the cut floor piece on her way down. When she hit the ground, Peetee grabbed the cable and started tugging, dragging the heavy metal over the hole and sealing their path.

"That oughta hold them back," Xel said, checking his weapons. "At least for a while."

"So now what?" Sabine asked.

"Now we find somewhere quiet without cameras, so I can think about our next move." He turned to his brother. "Alen, ideas? I know you can sometimes sense the electronics in droids. Where's our best bet?"

The Jedi closed his eyes and focused in the Force, opening them a second later and pointing down a less damaged hallway. Xel nodded and took point, drawing a blaster and clearing each intersection as the group proceeded forward. He rounded a corner and was about to duck into a room when the ceiling above him shifted. His Force Sense alerted him to danger a split-second before Alen shouted to warn him, and he leapt forward in a dive-roll, narrowly avoiding the vertical ray shield that would've cut him in half.

As it stood, the forcefield now stood between him and the rest of his team. Xel clenched his teeth, barely restraining the urge to slam his fist against the energy barrier. "Go," he ordered. "I'll find a way to get to you." At Alen's hesitation, he actually did slam his fist against the shield. "Go!"

…

Alen pursed his lips hard. _Stubborn-assed, one-tracked…_ He shook his thoughts away. Xel was rubbing off on him, and not in a good way. "Keep your head down," he ordered his younger brother.

The tension and hardness in his voice told Alen he wouldn't obey that order. "Sure, _vod_. Just find out what you can about Maila. We need to get her and get the hell out of here."

"Agreed." He nodded to the rest. "Let's go."

They broke off down another hallway, ducking through a door into what looked like a barracks. The lack of personnel or belongings gave it an empty, eerie feel, causing Alen to lead the team further into the base. Another durasteel door slid open and Alen stepped through an instant before another ray shield went up, separating him from the rest of the team.

"Alen!" Ezra shouted through the barrier.

"Keep moving," he responded, "and watch out for more projectors. Tenau's trying to split us up, and it's working. We can't afford to let him reduce our strength."

Ezra nodded slowly.

"I'll try to find a terminal here in the barracks. Stay in radio contact." Alen backed away from the energy field and made his way through the room he was in, proceeding through another door and finding exactly what he was looking for. He tapped his earpiece. "Xel, can you hear me?"

"Here, _vod_." He sounded strained.

"I found a computer terminal. I'm hacking in now." Alen's fingers flew across the controls, his mind working at Force-assisted speeds as he sliced through one encryption after the next until it cracked wide open. "Gotcha. I'm pulling up a schematic of this place now. Sending it over our comlink."

"Woah," Sabine said a few moments later. "This place is…huge."

"It comprises almost the entire building," said Xel. "No way he got this on his own."

"Imperial assistance?" Ezra asked.

"Yep. That'd be my bet."

Alen narrowed his eyes and tabbed through the schematic's levels until he found a series of small rooms two floors down. "I think I found the cell block. It's two levels below us." Alen accessed the surveillance cameras in that area and hissed when he saw the feeds. "And heavily guarded. You were right. Imp stormtroopers."

"It's a front," Xel said with certainty.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Tenau likes having her around too much to leave her somewhere he can't reach her quickly, without prying eyes."

"And by 'having her around,'" Ezra began, "you mean—"

"Yeah," the young Mando growled. The sounds of a grate being kicked came from his end of the link.

"Xel," Alen began, "what are you doing?"

"Going to the one place he'd keep her. His quarters."

"Brother," he said, raising his voice in alarm, "you've gotta be _careful_. If Tenau _is_ there, you cannot go in alone. He'll kill you."

"Don't project your own failures onto me," Xel growled.

A stunned silence reigned over the link for several seconds.

"I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean that."

Alen gulped and clenched his teeth. "I know," he said evenly. "You're right, though. I _did_ fail." He tabbed over to the residential levels. "But that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Xel sighed. "No, it doesn't. I'm sorry. I'm just…I _need_ to get her away from him, no matter what."

"I understand." The Jedi hesitated a moment. "He's not getting away, Xel. Not this time. I promise you that."

The silence lasted about ten seconds. "Understood. Get up here when you can. Caden out."

Alen tapped his earpiece to close the link, exhaling slowly as he cleared his mind of distractions, closing down the terminal with his route already memorized. His feet carried him away toward his objective with a burst of Force Speed.

…

A final kick dislodged the grate that stood between Xel and a posh, well-furnished apartment. A "window" on his left projected a view of passing clouds in a clear blue sky, a vision impossible on Nar Shaddaa. Caden snarled behind his helmet, making his way forward with both pistols drawn. His dark blue eyes swept over the spiral staircase in front of him, over the red leather couches on his right and the closed doors on both levels. As he made his way up the stairs, he stretched out with the Force, immediately finding a nexus of pain, fear, and broken pride.

Xel homed in on it like a subsonic beacon, legs pumping and taking him through a heavy durasteel door whose frame shattered like cheap carbo-plas against the power of his Force-powered heel kick. Upon taking a second glance at the door, though, he realized it wasn't the frame that broke, but the wall the frame was attached to. Breathing heavily, he cleared the room inch by inch, lowering his pistols when he confirmed he was alone except for that nexus. So as not to startle her, Caden pulled his helmet off and set it on a nearby dresser, turning the corner of the furniture with his hands in plain view.

Xel's blue eyes widened in shock as his mouth dropped open.

She was _unrecognizable_. Dressed in little more than a corset and a glorified skirt, purplish bruises marring her left cheek, neck, and arms that were curled around her knees, Maila was the embodiment of misery. When she lifted her head ever so slightly as his shadow fell across her shivering form, Xel felt his chest tighten at the foreign expression on her face. _Despair._ This once-proud, powerful woman had been reduced to little more than a frightened girl.

For the first time in months, Xel felt his lips tremble, felt his arms, legs, his entire being go limp and numb. His knees nearly gave out before he forced them to lock, stiffly taking two steps toward her. When he drew within two feet of the Zeltron, she shivered again and drew back even more into the wall she was pressed up against, tucking her head tight against her knees, trying to disappear, to block out the world.

Xel burned inside, but not with the fire of rage and hatred. He had no more of either left to burn. The heat centered itself on his eyes and face, hot drops falling from his face even as he tried uselessly to hold them back. He wiped the back of his hand over his face, sobbing hard as his legs finally gave way, his armored knees hitting the ground not a foot from Maila's bare feet. Forcing himself to stay upright, Xel reached out slowly, brushing the tips of his gloved fingers against her bare knee even as she shivered at the contact.

"Mail," he whispered brokenly.

His entire face twisted in untold grief as his eyes slammed shut, unable for all his strength to hold back his tears. He gently reached over to her face, nudging her chin up bit by bit until he could see her eyes again—reddened and puffy and dulled by exhaustion and abuse. The fire inside him increased as he closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, seeing and feeling her in a completely different way that he knew would scar his memory. He let it. He _wanted_ the scars, needed to feel her pain, because his touch was not a one-way conduit. In that close contact lay a way to not only understand her pain, but to get her to understand his.

He had to let her know she wasn't alone, and no words could ever say that like this.

His fingers drifted to her temple, his entire palm cupping her head as he leaned forward, touching their foreheads together with such a light contact, he barely felt it. A feather-light touch against his cheek caused a comfortable warmth to wash over him, a small, sad smile coming to his face as he realized she was still in there. The Maila he knew was just buried and wrapped in layer after layer of misery and trauma that he understood might never be fully removed.

And then he felt it.

_Pride, confidence…_arrogance_._

Dark blue eyes opened, Xel's tender expression morphed into a mask of deadly intent as the fire inside stoked into a world-consuming inferno, his numb legs lighting up in painful intensity as he stood and turned toward the door. One foot fell after the other as he approached the source of that arrogance. An animalistic roar left his throat as he dashed through the demolished wall and tackled Tenau through the rail. The other fully-armored hunter hit the ground jetpack-first, his helmet receiving the worst of the next attack as Xel drove his fist into it head-on again and again.

It took the boy a few seconds to realize he was damaging his hand more than Tenau's helmet, but he could tell the man was dazed, so what the hell? He grabbed the hunter's chestplate, lifting him bodily off the ground and Force Throwing him into one wall after the next, Tenau's jetpack activating to stabilize him as he drew a pistol and fired at Xel repeatedly. Both shots aimed for Xel's head were smacked away with his crushgaunts as he Force Pushed the man into a wall, the surface beginning to crack and crumble under the force of his efforts.

Tenau groaned and grunted under the strain, feeling his entire body begin to be crushed within his armor. A murderous, malevolent smile came to Xel's face as he kept laying it on, his entire body shaking with the rage he was letting loose. He was so focused on ending the other Mando that he didn't notice the other figure enter the room behind him. A Force Blast bowled him off his feet and catapulted him hard into the wall next to Tenau, who dropped to the ground with a stunned Xel a moment later.

"Are you all right, sir?" Xel heard the newcomer ask.

"Fine," Tenau grunted before planting a kick on Xel's midsection, sending him rolling. Both his gloved hands went around Caden's throat as he head-butted him hard, breaking his nose and sending stars spinning through his vision. He tossed the boy aside like a rag doll before drawing another pistol and casually putting two shots in his armored chest.

Xel noted with chagrin that the weapon was another Verpine shattergun, the bruises from the shots' impacts already beginning to ache.

"I'm starting to think this job is more trouble than it's worth," Tenau remarked dryly.

"Believe me, sir," the other figure said, stepping into view, "it'll be worth it."

Xel's dazed eyes widened slightly at the sight of the stately Chagrian at Tenau's side, dressed in the garb of an Imperial Royal Guard with the lightsaber pike to match.

"Relieve him of his weapons," Tenau ordered, "then put him with the girl. I'll have to find a new bedroom for tonight."

"Yes, sir."

Tenau stepped closer to Xel, approaching his battered body with relish. "Lights out, _di'kut_."

His armored fist cut off any comeback.

…

In a series of events too fast for anyone to track, Alen found himself standing in a turbolift one second, jumping out of that turbolift while falling at extreme speeds, holding onto a girder for dear life, and leaping from one floor to another until he reached the residential level. Deciding to forgo the front-door entrance, he ducked into a ventilation shaft just above where the elevator would stop and crawled his way through twenty feet of ducts before coming to a grate.

"You're sure?"

_Tenau,_ he thought.

"I just _got_ here, dammit!"

He arched an eyebrow. Someone's_ short-tempered._

Tenau lowered his voice dangerously, but the Jedi still heard him. "So you want me to move them in the middle of an attack? When those rebel idiots could come out of the vents for all I know?"

Alen almost snickered at the coincidence of that statement, but didn't. One: because it would have given away his position, and two…

His ice-blue eyes narrowed. _Them?_ Stretching out with the Force, he felt his jaw clench hard.

"Fine, but I want double what you posted. Yeah, that's right, _double_, you useless _chakaar_! I'll be on the first shuttle out."

Alen's eyes narrowed in anger as he fingered the lightsaber at his belt. Tenau wasn't alone, though, and whoever his companion was had the Force, was strong in it. Based on the Imperial presence downstairs and the target Tenau was trying to catch, he wouldn't have put it past Vader to give the Mandalorian a few Royal Guards. One thing was for sure: he had to wait, bide his time. Track them from the shadows and then spring on them at just the right moment. _Let's see if you like how it feels to be the hunted this time around, Tenau._

…

10 minutes later

Blurry images of shiny gray were all that comprised Xel's vision for the first two seconds of consciousness. On instinct, he let the Force flow through him, clearing away the fog and dulled senses to reveal the fact that he was being dragged through a brightly lit hallway, with no weapons and his hands cuffed behind his back. Shutting his eyes again, he reached out with the Force and brushed against the others there with him—the familiar cool of Imperial stormtroopers, the smug arrogance of his previous opponent, and the fragile psyche of Maila Yar.

Extending his sphere of influence further, Xel mentally groped about for a familiar thread, tugging on it a moment later and getting feelings of reassurance back over the link. He smiled. _He has a plan. Good._

_"Of course I do,"_ his brother sent back annoyedly.

_"Want to let me in on the secret, _vod_?"_

_ "Not particularly. You're liable to start making changes. Besides, it's not safe for us to be connected like this. Not for as long as it would take."_

_ "The Chagrian?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Okay. What do you need me to do?"_

_ "Just…be yourself."_

Xel smirked at the feelings that drifted over the Bond. _"Got it." _

Blue eyes fluttered open as if he were just regaining consciousness—and he put on a damn good act. Shin kick to the back of one stormtrooper's left leg was followed by a shoulder blow to the one on his left that sent him careening into a wall. A Force Grip brought a blaster to his hands even as he leapt into the air, bound arms swinging under his legs to bring his hands in front of him. Two shots impaled the soldiers that were dragging him, the third going through Tenau's Verp.

The Mando's shoulders slumped as he looked at the ruined weapon. "_Really_?"

Xel gave him a feral grin and pumped two more shots into his armored chest, knocking him back, before turning the gun's barrel backward and unloading one bolt into his cuffs. With his hands free, the metal around his wrists was bent to the breaking point by his crushgaunts, the loops falling to the ground a moment later. The moment Xel took a step toward Tenau, he found himself shoved against a wall by an invisible hand. The boy snarled and turned his head to see that same Chagrian calmly holding him in place with one hand, the other latched onto Maila's arm.

_I could rip your little grip apart, you worthless_ chakaar_._ But he didn't. Better to make them believe they had the upper hand. Alen's single message over their Force Bondconfirmed this.

"_Well done, Xel. We'll take it from here."_

Caden nearly arched an eyebrow. _"We?"_ When they stepped through the door at the end of the hallway into a massive hangar, he understood.

The brown-clad form of his brother dropped from a grate just above them, tackling the Chagrian and getting his hostage out of his grasp.

"Maila, run!" Alen shouted as he brought his fist into the guard's face hard, his head snapping back toward the ground with such force that one of his horns broke off at the halfway point.

Xel leapt into action as soon as his brother dropped, smacking Tenau's gun away from his brother and causing it to discharge into a far wall. Stormtroopers flooded in from every entrance in pairs, but two entrances were blockaded a second later when explosions went off at the bases of their doorways. Sabine and the rest of the team descended from the hangar's rafters, blasters on overdrive even as one set of hangar doors were blasted open and another ship set down opposite Tenau's, next to a _Lambda_-class shuttle.

Its entrance ramp lowered, two figures leaping off full-tilt, one toting a lightsaber, the other a bo rifle. Caden grinned as he knife-handed Tenau in the side of his neck, briefly stunning him before getting another head-butt for his troubles. As a bruise started to form on his forehead, Xel stumbled backwards, leaping behind a crate for cover when Tenau opened fire with his remaining pistol, keeping him pinned. Xel shifted his focus to Alen, who was still grappling with the Chagrian even as PT-37 and the crew of the _Ghost_ held off the encroaching stormtroopers.

Alen cried out as his arm was twisted in an unnatural direction, nearly dislocated before his brother slammed into the guard shoulder-first. Two distinctive clinks sounded from below, and Xel reached out to grab the fallen lightsabers, falling into a recovery roll and getting his footing as the guard managed to retrieve his saber pike. Both sabers were ignited with a vengeful _snap-hiss_, the weapons mirroring their owner's fury as he slammed the blades against the Chagrian's single red one in a flurry of rage-driven strikes.

…

Alen was about to join him when he heard Maila cry out sharply, snapping his attention to his back, where Tenau was dragging her toward his ship. He cast his furiously dueling brother a look, one that he evidently felt.

"Go!" Xel roared, locking his blades with the guard's.

The Jedi obeyed, unclipping his own saber and sprinting toward the fleeing Tenau just as he got within forty feet of his ship. His lightsaber blazed to life when he closed the distance to ten feet and rose for a vertical strike that would've taken his right arm off. Instead, the Mando turned at the last second and fired instinctively. The bolt would've gone right through Alen's hand if it hadn't hit his saber instead. As it happened, the weapon flew from his grasp, landing a good six feet behind him.

Alen didn't hesitate. With a furious yell, he leapt full-speed into Tenau's midsection, tackling him away from Maila and onto the ground. He was so intent on getting the Mando's helmet off that he didn't notice the control that slipped into the hunter's hand or the ray shield that separated them from the rest of his backup until Tenau tossed him off and jetpacked into the air. Flames spat from his gauntlets, the heat of the incoming inferno nearly lighting Alen's robes on fire before he could leapt ten feet backward.

A mere wave of the hand was enough to recall his saber, the blade deflecting one shot from his wrist-mounted blaster after the next. Calling on his training, the Padawan deflected a bolt right back into Tenau's chest, disrupting his flight pattern enough for him to Force Grip the man's jetpack and angle its jets downward. The Mando hit the ground in a roll as his blaster went flying, immediately falling into a forward sprint as Alen closed the distance. He pulled a long, electrified vibroblade off his back and activated it as they closed to ten feet, both leaping into their initial strikes.

Electricity crackled around frozen light as the saber and the sword clashed again and again. Tenau shoved Alen's saber aside with a powerful shunt, backhanding him with his armored gauntlet. The Jedi spun with the hit, smacking the heel of his boot into the side of Tenau's leg and bringing him to one knee. A stab that would've gone through his throat was parried and countered with an upward slash, then a rising thrust aimed at Alen's spine. The Makashi practitioner deflected the strike to his right and spun clockwise, putting himself at closer range and elbowing Tenau in the side of the head.

He spun back the other way and ducked as he slashed horizontally, the crackling blade of Tenau's sword sizzling over his head as his lightsaber scored another burn-mark on the man's chestplate. The Mando withdrew a few steps to get his bearings, noting the small gap created by the landed strike, then looking at Alen with a stunned expression on his face.

Alen just smirked nastily. "I've been practicing, _hut'uun_."

His nostrils flared in anger at the ultimate insult, fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade. "It won't be enough," he growled, leaping backwards and activating his reconfigured jetpack as he fired on Alen once again.

The Jedi calmly deflected one shot after the next, trying to reflect one but unable to since Tenau just kept moving. Finally, he thought he had an opening, and threw his lightsaber right where the Mando was going to be the next second. The twirling blade skated over his left shoulder plate as Tenau angled his body away, missing its mark by mere inches as he raised his gauntlet and fired once—right into Alen's center mass.

The crouching Padawan was bowled over by the force of the shot hitting his concealed armor, but immediately fell into a recovery roll, dodging one shot after the next as he closed the distance. Tenau swung his blade downward as Alen leapt for him, cutting shallowly through the shoulder of his robe and rending a thin layer of flesh below, but still getting tackled out of the air. He hit the ground jetpack-first, Alen laying into his exposed face with a flurry of lightning-fast punches, the last of which impacted with Tenau's armored gauntlet. Yelping in pain, Li-am recoiled just long enough for Tenau to grab his throat and shift their positions, his superior weight keeping Alen under him as he slowly throttled the life out of his younger opponent.

The Jedi clawed and swiped at his face, but Tenau put a stop to his efforts when he laid into Alen with his free armored fist. Three punches in, the boy let the Force flow, let it dull his pain and decrease his need for oxygen. Everything sharpened and time slowed to a crawl as he could literally see the next punch coming. Putting all of his Force power into his young limbs, Alen caught Tenau's gloved fist in his left hand, right hand gripping his choking hand's thumb as both feet planted on his armored chest and pushed—hard.

Something in Tenau's left hand popped as he went flying six feet away, his furious yell indicating his thumb's dislocation. Alen sluggishly regained his footing as blood rushed to his head, spotting his lightsaber some distance away and making a break for it. He was tackled halfway there by Tenau, who put his right forearm on the boy's neck and made to break his windpipe. Alen would have none of it.

Using a technique Sabine taught him, he grabbed Tenau's arm and popped his hips upward, hooking his left leg around the man's head and pivoting in the other direction. By using his arm's place on his neck as a point of leverage, Alen spun him like a pendulum and smacked him onto the duracrete floor back-first. He rolled away and regained his footing as Tenau climbed to his feet.

The Mando exchanged several rapid jabs with the Jedi before getting one through to his face and following it up with a strong right hook. Alen's feet left the ground as his body went horizontal, left boot jamming into Tenau's ribs before his right swung upward to catch him across the jaw, the leg flying past and spinning him so his left side was facing the ground. Alen's left palm served as a balancing point for his tilted cartwheel, and he was facing Tenau again the moment his feet hit the ground.

Jes saw his next flying punch coming and stepped out of the way, bringing a hard right fist into the boy's gut and throwing him to the ground before sprinting for his fallen sword. Alen did the same with his saber, adrenaline running at maximum and propelling his steps until the his fingers closed around the familiar cylinder and thumbed it to life. He spun to face the Mandalorian with a twirl of his saber, eyes widening slightly as he saw he was much closer than anticipated. A malevolent smirk crossed his features in the instant before Tenau's blade fell.

The sword strike fell down and left, from Tenau's point of view, meant to carve a line through Alen's carotid artery right through his rib cage. Instead, the Jedi angled his saber horizontally to his left as he spun counterclockwise, the tip of the electrified blade sizzling past his arm as he completed a 180 degree turn, his blade spinning as well and angling so the tip pointed behind him. The moment the turn completed, a loud sizzle and deep-voiced grunt were heard from behind him, his glowing blue shaft having found the gap created by his previous slash.

A rapid choppy breath was exhaled by Tenau and his sword was dropped as Alen yanked the blade out, stepping forward and spinning in the opposite direction before turning back toward the Mando. His lightsaber was angled diagonally away and down in a two-handed grip as he dashed at Tenau's right, the blade rising to his neck level as Alen ran past. A ringing hiss sounded from behind him before two thumps were heard.

The Jedi just stood there, sword angled out to the side as he took in and released several ragged breaths. When they finally stabilized, he brought the blade back to an upright position close to his body and thumbed it off, clipping it to his belt. He turned and strode past the headless body of Jes Tenau, giving it none of attention as he approached a violently shivering Maila Yar. The Jedi felt the last of his righteous fury drain away as he gently put his hands on her shoulders.

He drew the shivering woman close, wrapping one arm around her shoulders even as he summoned Tenau's control to his free hand and thumbed the ray shield off. Xel sprinted over to them, sending Alen a thankful smile before gathering her up in his arms, her red, bruised ones wrapping gingerly around his neck as he carried her onto the _Ghost_.Alen followed him, taking Xel's helmet from Sabine and briefly passing his eyes over the piles of dead stormtroopers. He noted the lack of the Imperial shuttle that had been parked there earlier, as well as the lack of a red-robed Chagrian.

As he paused on the ramp of the _Ghost_, though, looking at Maila as Xel whispered comforting words in her ear, he turned his vision back to Tenau's armored corpse. He felt a sense of grim satisfaction flow through him. Jes Tenau was a bounty hunter, a thug, kidnapper, murderer, and rapist. Alen took no pleasure in killing, but there was something truly…hope-inspiring in what he'd just done. For too long, men like him had been allowed to reign over the dark corners of the galaxy, to walk freely, to act freely, without any threat of reprisal. Alen turned his gaze to his lightsaber.

_This weapon used to stand for something._ He looked back at Tenau. _And it will again._ A deep breath entered and left his lungs.

_At long last…justice is served._

And with that thought, he climbed the ramp and left the complex forever.

…

2 hours later

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

Red eyelids fluttered open, the blue orbs beneath turning to see a tousled sheet of jet-black hair resting on her outstretched legs. Evidently, he felt her wake, because his head was up faster than she could blink, eyes locked onto hers in concern and tenderness.

"There you are," a pleasant female voice said from her left.

Maila turned to see a young woman with fiery red hair, striking green eyes, and the brightest smile she'd seen in months approach her with a datapad.

"We were worried, Ms. Yar." She grinned at Xel. "Well, _he_ was worried more." Her smile dampened a bit when she looked back at her patient, and Maila wondered why. "Anyways. Your injuries aren't particularly severe, but they do merit at least two days' bed rest and a brief bacta soak if we can get it." She typed a few things in her pad. "I've given you some mild painkillers, so you should sleep like a baby when you're ready." The woman looked between Xel and Maila, giving the latter a squeeze on the shoulder. "I'll give you two a minute, but make it brief. She needs rest."

"Thank you, Linn."

Xel's voice sounded more fragile and quiet than Maila had ever heard it. When his eyes returned to hers and he sat at her side, she got a good look at him and understood why. _Stang…what has this guy _been_ through?_ He wasn't even this bad after his mother died…or was he? Xel had always been good at hiding his emotions, whether behind a helmet or a carefully schooled mask. In retrospect, he looked about as emotionally broken as he should have been following his mother's death.

His fingertips, now bare and calloused against her bruised skin, glided over her jaw and cheek, all the way up to her temple, at which point his entire hand cupped her face, larger and harder than it had any business being at his age. She closed her eyes as she leaned her head into the limb. It was hard, yes, rough, absolutely, but so…gentle. These were hands that could caress as easily as they could kill. A shuddering breath left her lips as she leaned forward, pressing her face into the fabric of his shirt.

He kept her close, one hand cupping the back of her head while the other went under her arm, pressing against and caressing her back. They stayed that way, pressed against each other in a caring, protective embrace for far longer than the doctor ordered, but Linn didn't interfere. She just watched as Maila's breathing slowed bit by bit, deepening until Xel was sure she was asleep, then slowly laid her back down on the bed, his hand lingering on her cheek for a while. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers before standing and walking noiselessly out the door.

* * *

AN: …So…thoughts? Not feeling much ability to comment on this chapter. It was so heavy to write that _I_ got a little depressed. Anyway, more to come next week.

_Oya, ner vode_.

\- CDrake

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: The war on Ilum begins full-force as Xel and his friends return to the front lines, where the biting snow holds more dangers than sharp rocks and drops.


	34. Secrets in the Snow

He kept her close, one hand cupping the back of her head while the other went under her arm, pressing against and caressing her back. They stayed that way, pressed against each other in a caring, protective embrace for far longer than the doctor ordered, but Linn didn't interfere. She just watched as Maila's breathing slowed bit by bit, deepening until Xel was sure she was asleep, then slowly laid her back down on the bed, his hand lingering on her cheek for a while. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers before standing and walking noiselessly out the door.

…

2 weeks later

Ilum

2 months, 2 weeks BBY

"Stylish."

Xel turned his helmeted head toward the speaker, arching an eyebrow at the man's thick, brightly-decorated, bandana-like head covering. "You're one to talk."

Eran grinned toothily, staring out into the heavy snowfall, the white sheets barely letting him see twenty feet forward. "At least mine can't really be seen in this environment. You ever think about repainting that body can to suit your environment better?"

"No," Xel answered immediately. "Not only do these colors hold sentimental value, but a good hunter should be able to blend in in any environment, no matter what he looks like." He shrugged, rising from his crouch to march toward the edge of their cliff outlook. "Besides, who can see _anything_ in this weather?"

Before Riilos could answer, Caden leapt off the side into a forty-foot drop, landing in a crouch as the Force cushioned his fall. Eran was right behind him, the screech of his ice-pick against the cliff wall far louder than Xel's powder-muffled entry. The Mandalorian gave him a look, the sergeant able to pick up his emotions through body language due to his time spent around Mandos. Eran just rolled his eyes and kept walking, blaster raised to hip level and sweeping the blank snow.

Caden followed suit with his Blackjack, the last four fingers of his right hand brushing against the hilt of the weapon's newest addition: a small, five-inch throwing knife strapped to the left of the gun's handle. The Blackjack was powered to full, its gas chamber fully stocked and ready to vape anything that wasn't friendly. The pair of them had been sent along with several other partner-based recon missions meant to uncover hidden Imperial installations.

The day after the crew of the _Kandosii'tal_ returned to Ilum, Tobin and his superiors ordered the largest arctic offense in the history of the Rebellion, but given that their soldiers were, by and large, green, and their resources were limited, the larger population of the army was suffering from the effect of Ilum's extreme conditions. Equipment malfunctioned, work animals froze to death, tents became brittle and shattered with the lightest of contacts. In short, there had been no major offensive as of yet, and considering the strategic value of having a supply of Ilum crystals, Rebel Command expected significant Imperial forces.

At present, though, it seemed the bucketheads were content to let the planet deal with them. Xel and Eran kept marching through the snow, each covering what the other's line of fire didn't. The terrain became uneven and wind-swept in a sudden gust of wind, blinding them even further and causing the armored Mando to stretch out with the Force to compensate. _No life forms in range._ Eran sputtered and spat several times, swiping at the snow stinging his face. Xel snorted. _Except _him_, that is._

Suddenly, his comlink went off, and he tapped the side of his helmet to activate it. "Go."

"Ezra here. How's your recon going?"

Xel glanced over at Eran, who was busy stamping his shivering legs to generate heat. "It's going."

"Chopper's pickin' up some strange energy readings about a half-klick north of your position, can you investigate?"

Xel watched in amusement as Eran rapidly nodded his head, eyes wide. "I think my partner says yes."

So they sprinted the half-kilometer distance, Eran exuding gratitude for the excuse to get his stiff limbs moving. Caden just smirked and shook his head as he stowed the Blackjack and ran with him, close and slightly behind the older man's steps in case he stumbled. He didn't, and they made excellent time to a cliff overlooking a deep valley unobscured by snow drifts. Xel knelt next to Eran, tapping the side of his helmet and accessing his macrobinoculars. His eyes were greeted by a large, iced-over gorge, with no way across except a set of flimsy scaffolding spanning roughly a two-hundred-meter gap.

"Hello…"

"What?" asked the sergeant.

"Got a nice little contingent of excavator droids guarded by stormtroopers. Looks like they're putting together a plasma bridge."

"For what? Tanks? Freight? Troops?"

Xel shrugged. "Who knows? Could be all of the above. Bottom line is we can't let the Empire complete it."

Eran put a hand on his shoulder when he went to whip out his Blackjack. "Woah, hold your banthas there. You want to destroy it?"

"You don't? If the Imps get a reliable land route through this rough terrain, they'll be able to outflank us with little more than an hour's time. This could be the whole reason why they've left us alone. Put together this little engineering feat so they can crush us in one swipe."

"That may be, but all we _really_ need to ensure is that the Empire can't use it."

Xel stared at him, cocking his head after a second. "I'm not sure I follow. How are we gonna do that without—oh, you want to—"

"Take it for the Rebellion once it's finished. We'll have to shift the controls to the opposite side of the gorge, and it'll be more than a two-man job, but…it could work."

Xel thought it over for a while before nodding several times. "And that's why we're friends." He slapped the older man's shoulder. "Good call." A few taps on his gauntlet and helmet brought up a link to Commander Tobin, Eran patched in.

"Go ahead, Caden."

"Specter Six told us about some weird power readings in our area, and when we moved to investigate, we found this." He transmitted images of the plasma bridge to the rebel commander.

"They're trying to get military supply lines up and running."

"Affirmative. We need to get it first."

"You're suggesting a takeover of that bridge?"

"Actually, Sergeant Riilos did. He thinks if we can relocate the controls to our side of that gorge, we'll have transportation advantage where ground crews are concerned."

"And he'd be right. Our hovertanks aren't built for Ilum's rough terrain or weather, and if that bridge is as close to Imperial encampments as we think, we can do some serious damage to their operations if we can control it. Excellent work, Sergeant."

"Thank you, sir."

Before they could say anything else, a call came through Xel's private line, and he made a motion to Eran, who took over the conversation with Tobin. "Caden here."

"Hey, it's Linn."

Xel blinked as his body tensed, the action noticed by Eran. "Yeah, what's up?"

"It's…her. She's having issues."

The Mando gulped hard, then cleared his throat. "With what?"

"I don't know. She just…froze up one second in the middle of a routine stretching exercise, and then she ran away and curled up into a ball. She hasn't moved since."

"How long ago was this?"

"Just a few minutes. She won't talk to me—no surprise there, and all I'm getting are vague gestures and the occasional apologetic smile."

Xel let out a long breath, taking another before speaking sharply. "I'm on my way." He looked to Eran for confirmation, and the sergeant nodded to him with a thumbs-up. "Just…keep her company 'til I get there, but keep your distance."

"Okay. You got it."

…

1 hour later

Rebel encampment, Ilum

"They still in there?"

The two soldiers on standby outside the rebels' makeshift med center nodded to Xel in tandem, their expressions carved with respectful deference to his impeccable reputation. The pair stepped aside when Caden gave them a nod, unlocking the door and permitting him inside the small, stark white building. The portal slid open with a hydraulic hiss, permitting the six-foot armored Mando inside. He quickly removed his helmet, tucking it under his arm and making his way to a pair of signatures, one an empathic beacon reaching out to the other, a self-contained sinkhole of volatile emotional flotsam.

Xel sighed internally but forced a smile on his face as he went through the door of the workout room. Curled up in a corner, playing with a small length of elastic rope, was Maila. The Zeltron was clad in a white medical uniform, used for patients and doctors alike, and had been for the last two weeks. Though it did nothing to accentuate her figure, it also did nothing to hide it, or the fact that a slight, almost imperceptible shake had settled into her frame. When Linn caught sight of him, she gave him a small, comforting smile before standing and walking toward the exit.

A pat on his shoulder was their only communication before he was left alone with his catatonic friend. When his armored body came into her line of vision, though, she came out of her stupor and gave him a tight-lipped smile. Though his heart wrenched at the sight, he couldn't help but smile back. She had that effect on him. He set his helmet down on a nearby bench and sauntered over to her, crouching down a good two feet away and leaning against the wall next to her.

Xel nodded at her occupied hands. "So whatcha doin'?"

The red-skinned girl held up the rope, tied in several loops and knots that all seemed random and indistinguishable. Xel furrowed his eyebrows as he took a closer look, thinking at a first glance that she was just tying it haphazardly. A knowing smirk graced her features a second before she pulled the ends taut, the knots and loops stacking against each other to form an elastic flower pattern. Jet black eyebrows shot up.

"Woah." He reached out to the pattern and touched several of the "petals." "Incredible. Where'd you learn to do that?"

Maila just smirked and shrugged, letting it fall limp and become an indistinguishable cord again. She leaned back against the wall, smiling gently and staring at the ceiling. A gentle touch at her shoulder nearly made her jump before she realized who the hand belonged to. She smiled wider and leaned into the touch, brushing her cheek against the hard, unforgiving glove as if it were his real hand. Xel sighed softly and pulled it off, laying his skin against her face and brushing a few rogue strands of hair behind her ear.

"Still having nightmares?" he asked gently. "Flashbacks?"

Her smile faded a little as she nodded.

He nodded back. "Yeah, me too. I wish I could say it goes away…but it hasn't. Not for me, anyway." Xel fell silent a while, his de-gloved hand running through her hair in slow, calming motions. "I'm not gonna lie. Trauma is something I...don't really know how to deal with."

She arched a disbelieving eyebrow.

Xel pursed his lips. "Can you keep a secret?"

Maila gave him a sarcastic look.

Xel's expression was halfway between a wince and a smile. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I know my way of dealing with grief isn't healthy."

She blinked hard, smirk gone.

"I know I'm supposed to acknowledge the loss, to learn to live with it, but…I don't feel I can. Not yet. See, that pain—" he shuddered slightly, "that…_agony_ is the only thing keeping me going. It's the fuel that drives my rage, and I need my rage, just long enough to do what I came here to do." He laughed self-deprecatingly. "I know if Alen heard me right now, he'd be screaming his head off to convince me to stop…" He carded a hand through his hair. "And he'd be right."

Xel sighed hard, smirking wryly and glancing over at her. "Don't _ever_ tell him this, but…he's better than me. Maybe not as a soldier, but as a person. A little naïve, sure. Sanctimonious and self-righteous? Absolutely." He shook his head. "But he's pure, innocent-minded, just." He smiled. "He's what a Jedi is _supposed_ to be." His jaw clenched. "They were _both_ what Jedi are supposed to be."

A soft hand lay on the back of his neck, the thumb brushing over his skin.

"I can't let it go, Mail. I just…I can't just be _me_ anymore. For my mission to succeed, I need to do more, to _be_ more." He chuckled bitterly. "Or less, depending on how you look at it. To beat someone like Vader, you have to be willing to get down to his level. Moral high ground only gets you so far against a being of such sheer power."

Maila's other hand found his and gripped it tightly, the woman herself sending him an understanding smile.

"Oh, what the hell am I doing? Here I am supposed to be letting you recover, and I'm laying my problems on your shoulders."

She rolled her eyes as he stretched out with the Force. Her feelings were a mixture of annoyance and mild frustration. That, coupled with her finger jabbing repeatedly into his armored chest clearly sent a message that she wished they'd lay _more_ on her. Maila leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms with a snarky expression on her face that said, "I'm bored."

Xel grinned. _There she is._ "Well then you're in luck." He produced a small datapad from his belt and handed it to her. "Before I got back, Eran and I spotted an Imperial construction site. They were building a plasma bridge to move troops and supplies into our area. Swiped this off the commander overseeing the project, but I haven't been able to break the encryption. With Alen still in the field, I figure you could take a crack at it."

Maila stared at the device in her hands, eyes darting back and forth over its screen with more energy than he'd seen in the last half-month. When those ice-blue orbs turned to him, her face split in an ear-to-ear grin a moment before she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him so hard breathing became an issue. He didn't have to worry long, though, as she released him a second or two later and sat in a cross-legged position. She spared him one more smiling glance and mouthed, "Thank you."

Xel smiled back and patted her shoulder as he got to his feet. "You're welcome. I've got a meeting with Tobin to discuss how we're gonna take that bridge, but Linn should still be here in case you need anything."

Maila gave him a nod, her eyes still glued to the pad as her fingers flew across its interface. The Mando just grinned and shook his head as he walked out, making a mental note to find more puzzles for her to solve…and more rope. He was almost to the briefing tent when his recon partner flagged him down and fell into step with him.

"How was the visit?" Eran asked.

"Good," Xel answered truthfully. "She's doing a lot better than a few days ago, but there's still a long way to go. In other news, if you've got anything you need hacked that Alen's moral squeamishness might not allow for, I've got a specialist who can get the job done." At Eran's confused expression, he just winked and nodded toward the medical facility.

Riilos' eyes widened. "No kidding?"

Xel's head shook.

"Woah. Had no idea."

"I had no idea it would lift her spirits so much. I guess it makes sense, though. She's starved for excitement on this ice ball, and hacking is one of the things she's best at. If Maila wants to feel helpful, no chance I'm getting' in her way."

"Agreed." Eran's expression sobered a bit. "So…um…"

Xel arched an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I realize it may be a touchy subject, but…"

Caden snorted. "Out with it, man."

Eran looked at him. "Why can't she speak?"

The youth's lips pursed hard as he stared at the command building in the distance, legs walking at a sedated pace to give him more time to think. "You know what happened to her, right?"

"A…rough estimate. Whatever I heard from Linn, which isn't much."

"But you know she was—"

"Yeah."

Xel sighed. "Zeltrons are…special. They're natural empaths. See, every member of their species has the ability to read and project their emotions onto others in a form of…limited telepathy. So, they experience powerful emotions and feelings three, four, tenfold strength compared to most sentient species. S'why so many of them are addicted to gambling or racing or anything that gets their adrenaline pumping."

"It's like a constant high for them," Eran concluded.

"Exactly." He grimaced as the memory of finding Maila resurfaced. "But…it's a double-edged sword. Yeah, when they're happy, they're _really_ happy, but…when they experience rejection, or frustration, or…pain…"

"Oh," Riilos breathed, realization starting to settle in.

"Yeah." Xel was silent a while as they kept walking. "Frankly, I was surprised she wasn't in worse shape when we found her, psychologically, if not physically." His voice became painfully quiet. "She always _did_ say she had high tolerance for pain." He blinked hard and looked over at Eran. "She's not okay, and I don't think she will be for a long time."

"But she's safe," said Riilos. "And she's loved. At the moment, that's the best we can ask for."

Xel smiled a little and nodded.

…

5 minutes later

Rebel command center, Ilum

"Caden, Riilos. Thank you for joining us."

Xel nodded to him from behind his helmet. "Commander."

Tobin powered up the holoprojector in the middle of the room, ambient lights dimming to give those present a better view. "Initial recon by Sergeant Riilos and his partner revealed this—an Imperial plasma bridge still under construction. It is our belief that the Empire believes it a waste of time and resources to use air power in crushing our offensive, so they've resorted to ground tactics. However, since neither of our motorized ground crafts is particularly compatible with Ilum's overly rough terrain, they've been trying to gain a mobility advantage.

"This plasma bridge would give them a direct route into the heart of our territory, with little to stop them but our ill-equipped forces. If we're to have any hope of winning our next engagement, the Empire cannot be allowed to control that pass. Instead, we're to take it ourselves once the construction is finished and use it to bottleneck Imperial forces. Security around the bridge is tight, but with two or three commando squads, we should be able to pull it off without a hitch."

A hand rose from the crowd. Xel rolled his eyes behind his helmet when he saw the source.

Tobin gave a strained smile. "Yes, Garth?"

"Will Caden and his team be one of those squads?"

"Of course," he answered immediately. "He has some of our best saboteurs and infiltrators under his command."

"But don't you think we've become a little reliant on his services? He's not enlisted, after all."

Tobin shot him a stern glare. "Xel Caden has _overwhelmingly_ proven his worth to the Rebellion, and as for his enlistment…_I _was the one who chose not to make him."

A few startled gasps rose from the crowd.

The commander pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I'm sick of having this discussion time and again, so I'm just gonna lay it all out. I felt his talents would be wasted in the rank and file of our soldiers, so I took him on as a consultant—at a _bargain_ price compared to his level of contribution. His abilities have prevented the deaths of dozens, if not _hundreds_ of innocents, both soldiers and civilians; and he has on numerous occasions accomplished sensitive and perilous missions in less time with less collateral damage than three of our best teams combined.

"The cold, hard truth is that Xel Caden has inscrutable character and undeniable devotion to not only our mission but our people." Tobin looked directly at the man in question. "Add to that the fact that he's one of the best damn soldiers I've ever seen, and it paints a pretty convincing picture." He looked across the crowd, gaze settling coldly on Garth for a few seconds. "Now if there's nothing else."

The man wisely stayed silent.

Xel sent Tobin a near-imperceptible nod of thanks as the older man smiled and returned to his presentation.

Inside, he was a churning mess of doubt and guilt.

…

1 week later

It was all set.

The bridge had finally been completed, with all the normal bells and whistles entailed in such a massive project. The mobile setup would make things all too easy to shift in the Rebellion's favor when they took it over. It had been decided that four teams would go in. Xel, Iola, and the recovered Treyvan En were on one team; Eran, Ijul, and Alen on another. Linn was on standby for medical support. The other two squads were hand-picked by Tobin from the rebels' small pool of expert commandos. Astonishingly, Garth was squad leader of one.

Xel had to admit he loathed the man, but there was a reason he was so cocky and adversarial. Garth was a militia veteran of the Clone Wars, commissioned under Jedi General Rahm Kota. Until Caden and the _Kandosii'tal _had come along, he'd been Tobin's right-hand man for sensitive missions. His record was nearly as spotless as Xel's. When he'd done his research on the belligerent commando, Caden had developed a grudging respect for the man, but as a professional, not a person.

"In position," the Mando commed.

"Roger," Garth answered, voice tight and professional. "All teams, sound off."

"Telos Squad here," Eran transmitted.

"Aurek, standing by," the fourth leader responded.

"Krill, standing by," Xel sent, glancing over at Alen's insertion point.

The snowfall had increased in recent cycles, and today was no exception. It came down in thick, white sheets that obscured vision to the point of near-blindness. Without infrared goggles or Force senses, seeing the enemy was nearly impossible. Fortunately, each team had both.

"Begin insertion in three, two, one…go."

Silent as death, Xel and his team proceeded inside the small encampment surrounding the bridge's control center. Two snowtroopers conversed with inter-helmet comlinks, too distracted by the weather and each other to see the flash of a knife or the silver-blue Mandalorian that dashed between them in a flurried spin that slit both their throats. Splashes of red painted the white landscape next to their corpses as Xel moved onto his next targets: winterized scout troopers equipped with IR-scoped sniper rifles.

His left gauntlet rose and spat out lethal tungsten-tipped darts with barely a puff of air. Two, three, four bodies dropped in quick succession as En and Iola entered a tent. Muffled sounds of struggling and blaster fire sounded from inside as Xel kept a lookout, launching another dart into a roving sentry before he could draw his E-11 halfway. En emerged from the tent, traces of blood spattered over his face-cloth as Iola followed in his wake, both of them equipped with long, white trenchcoats that made them blend in with the falling precipitation.

Step by step, block by block, they silently made their way to the base of one of the four defensive towers placed around the base's perimeter.

"Cover me," En whispered into his comlink as he tore open a maintenance control panel, voice gruffer than Xel previously remembered.

Iola took to a few stacked power cells for cover before Caden gave her a look and she relocated with a roll of the eyes. Distracted as he was with shaking his head, Xel almost didn't see the E-11 that went off a second later. His right gauntlet rose to block the shot from hitting his faceplate, but the next two smacked him directly in the chest. Grunting at the impact, Xel rolled to the side and drew his pistols, firing both off at extremely rapid rates. He cut down two snowtroopers within the space of a second, Iola's pistol firing almost as fast as his as she laid down suppressing fire on the rest of their squad.

Alarm klaxons sounded across the base, causing Xel to groan internally and keep shooting. _Well, it was just a matter of time._ Another red salvo of plasma left Caden's position as he kept the pressure on the attacking force, stretching out with his Force senses to keep track of them. His sphere of influence became more like a cone, funneled in the direction of the main attackers, so much so that he missed the Imperial sneaking up on En. The grunts and yells of effort and struggle reached his ears a second before he turned around to see two white blurs in furious close combat.

The snowtrooper was good, no doubt about it. If it had been a fair fight, he might have won, but it wasn't, and not because of Xel's interference. Treyvan pivoted away from a left hook, ducking under the strike and using his spin to add power to an elbow he thrust into the other man's right hip. The snowtrooper yelled in pain as his helmet was bashed against the wall of the tower, his body swung in a pendulum motion and slammed back-first into the tower. A lightning-fast twist kick by En pinned him to the wall by his chest, and he began to slump unconscious in seconds.

Xel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at this even as he returned fire on the still-attacking snowtroopers until he gave the pair another glance. His eyes widened. _Oh. He was using his _right_ leg._ The snowtrooper's chestplate was caved in and cracked where En's boot had impacted, the Epicanthix having already moved back to the panel, shoulders set in concentration. _I'd say that new mechanical leg is workin' out just fine._

Several explosions sounded across the base, startling the snowtroopers enough for Iola to leap from her flanking position and lay into them with several dozen nearly rapid-fire shots. The entire squad fell to the snow-covered ground seconds later. Xel sighed hard and strode over to En.

"No time for delicacy," he said simply, his filtered voice coming out almost inhumanly in the freezing gale.

En just gave him a look behind his face-obscuring head-cloth before reaching in and yanking all the wires at once. Immediately, the tower fell offline, its turret barrels falling limp.

"That's one way to do it," Treyvan admitted with a shrug. He brandished his blaster a second later as the trio sprinted toward the bridge's command center, spotting six dead snowtroopers on the way there.

Xel smirked at the angle of the bodies, silently praising his brother's handiwork. The squad made its way to the command center, pleasantly surprised to find the building already moving on repulsorlifts, Garth overseeing the transfer. The bridge was still active as they towed it across, Alen jogging over to his brother when he spotted Xel staring at several Imperial prisoners.

"Xel!"

The Mando snapped his attention to the approaching Jedi. "Saw your handiwork a few blocks back." He nodded in the general direction. "Nice work." Despite the extensive snowfall, Xel could see his brother frowning.

"Wasn't looking to impress."

Caden raised his hands calmingly. "Fair enough."

His brows furrowed as he reached out with the Force to feel his brother's grim focus. He turned away a few seconds later, moving for the edge of the bridge. Alen had been…different ever since he'd killed Tenau, more serious, more focused. He'd been far more strict and less forgiving when it came to excessive force, an attitude that hadn't yet sparked an argument between the two. Xel knew it would, though. Eventually.

With many beginning to move to the other side of the bridge, he walked with them, absently noticing the activity bustling around him, a fiery redhead checking Treyvan En's mechanical leg on the other side, the Imperial prisoners being moved across the bridge. Slowly, methodically, Xel took his helmet off, tucking it under his arm as he stopped at the end of the bridge on the rebels' side and looked out on the obscured, yawning expanse below, letting the chilling wind cool his nerves. Something was off. The Force was brushing his mind with an irritating frequency, tugging and pulling at him.

His eyes narrowed as he turned slowly, the dark blue orbs sweeping over the train of prisoners being escorted across. He stared at the snowtrooper at the head of the column, a tan-pauldroned commander, and the man stared back, the black eye-slits of his helmet locking with Xel's gaze. He stretched out with the Force for barely a second when a coiled-spring predator popped into his vision. His eyes snapped wide open as adrenaline crammed into his system, legs pumping at rapid speeds as he tried to reach the commander.

He barely got six steps when he saw the detonator in his cuffed hands. Barely two seconds of time were left before the man's thumb hit the trigger. Xel wasted no time. He whirled to his left, stretching out both hands and snapping them hard. A shocked Garth and five of his troopers were catapulted to the rebels' side of the bridge, their bodies hitting the ground the instant several dozen detpacks went off on both ends. The surface of the plasma bridge fizzled out in milliseconds—the same amount of time necessary for Xel to realize two things.

One: he was still on the bridge, along with the control center and several dozen Imperials and rebels. Two: Linn Riilos was among the rebels.

Xel and over thirty others dropped into the snow-covered abyss below, but the Mando was the only one with a controlled descent. He dove like a bullet toward his red-haired friend, helmet falling from his limp fingers as he smacked into her, arms wrapping around her smaller frame as he triggered his jetpack and started to rise. He went up twenty feet when a large piece of debris from the explosion hit the jetpack with bone-crushing force. As it turned out, it was circuitry-crushing, too.

The device sputtered and died a second later even as Xel launched his grappling hook into the cliff wall. His anchor came loose as soon as their combined weight hit it. Blue eyes went wide. _No._ Uncontrolled free-fall claimed them both even as he put himself beneath her. Every scrap of will, fear, and rage was channeled into the strongest Force Shield he'd ever created as they plunged over two thousand feet. The moment before they hit, one more emotional fuel was added to the mix, one that mentally staggered him with how much stronger he felt himself become.

Love.

* * *

AN: Few notes for this chapter. One: the deal with the Zeltron empathic powers? That's all canon. Their culture revolves around thrill and pleasure-seeking, and they as a species shun negative emotions wholesale. Two: that bit at the end, with the emotional fuel? Pay attention. All I'll say. Three: we are quickly coming onto the end of season two, which means lots of action and some serious climaxes in the plot. This season will turn out a bit shorter than the first one, but with the limited number of major plot points in this story arc, there was only so much filler I could write.

I want to give a big shout-out to my loyal readers, especially those who regularly review. Thank you all so much for your support. What I do wouldn't be possible without your encouragement and support.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Injured and separated from their rebel comrades, Xel and Linn make their way back to camp. To survive, they must confront a mountain's worth of threats…internal _and_ external.


	35. Love and Loss

The device sputtered and died a second later even as Xel launched his grappling hook into the cliff wall. His anchor came loose as soon as their combined weight hit it. Blue eyes went wide. _No._ Uncontrolled free-fall claimed them both even as he put himself beneath her. Every scrap of will, fear, and rage was channeled into the strongest Force Shield he'd ever created as they plunged over two thousand feet. The moment before they hit, one more emotional fuel was added to the mix, one that mentally staggered him with how much stronger he felt himself become.

Love.

…

1 minute later

Ilum

2 months, 1 week BBY

"Xel?"

The question proceeded from half-asleep lips, their owner slowly pressing himself to his feet as the world around him blurred and spun. His footing was unsteady for the first few seconds, the dizziness subsiding after about ten. Five seconds after that, he had enough presence of mind to check himself for injuries. After twenty seconds of this, he checked his surroundings and found himself standing in the post-detonation squalor of a bridge collapse. _Specifically,_ he thought, _a plasma bridge._

His eyes widened. _The plasma bridge! Xel was still on it!_ Ice-blue eyes flashed over his immediate surroundings, looking desperately for a distinctive armored body and finding only panicked soldiers and the medics and commanders trying to calm them. In a flurried series of frantic movements, he sprinted to the edge of the blackened cliff, eyes peering into the infinite white below and lungs heaving several times as his knees gave out. A few rapid blinks preceded a firm closing of the eyes.

Alen stretched out to the Force, opening his bond with Xel fully and nearly fainting in relief when he felt life on the other end. There was little more, though, and he correctly assumed that meant he was unconscious. A dull hum reached his ears, and he looked up to see the _Ghost_ descending from the snow-thickened clouds. The ship landed twenty feet from the heart of the body-strewn mess, its exit ramp opening to spit out four of its crew.

Kanan went straight to the medics, immediately applying his Force talents to healing the wounded. Zeb and Ezra went to Garth, who was coordinating search and rescue efforts, though how much searching was necessary on a bloody cliffside Alen couldn't tell. Sabine, armed with a bacta injector and a heavy cloak to cover her sleeveless arms, found the shell-shocked Jedi Padawan and held his arms, gently shaking him to get his attention. Alen stared at her, seeing her head and shoulders move with the telltale signs of speaking, but hearing nothing but dull hums.

The Jedi shook his head gingerly, feeling a sharp pain behind his eyes and on his forehead. His hand went up to brush against the trouble spot, and he grimaced when it came away bloody. His hearing still wasn't working properly. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused hard in the Force for a few seconds, his hearing sharpening piece by piece until he could begin to perceive words.

"Alen? Alen, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?"

His eyes opened, and he stared at her before saying, "You're…not?"

A relieved sigh left her body. "Okay. You're standing, and your vision's okay. Can you walk all right?"

Alen took a few tentative steps, moving at a fast walk for a second or two before facing her. "Think so."

"Okay…we'll get you taken care of in a bit, but there are more critical issues right now."

He blinked rapidly a few times, nodding. A sharp intake of breath was heard as his previous thoughts returned. "Sabine," he said sharply, stopping her as she started to turn away. "Xel…he was on the bridge when it blew."

"Oh stars…"

"He's alive. I know he's alive, and his uh…signal is strong, if a little dull."

"We'll get him back," she assured, one hand on his shoulder. "Once the situation here is under control, we'll take the _Phantom_ and get down there."

Alen nodded stiffly, taking a few more breaths before following in her wake. If his own self-repair was any indication, he could be of use to the medics. Before focusing completely on his work, Alen sent a telepathic message over their bond.

"_Hang on, Xel. Help _is_ coming. Just hold on."_

…

_"Just hold on."_

The words were like a whisper in a raging gale…probably because they _were_. Nonetheless, they still reached the mind of their intended target with the effect of waking him up from an uneasy and impact-caused slumber. Dark blue eyes fluttered open, the lids blinking several times to clear away white crystals settled on their lashes. When several more crystals fell into the eyes, they shut, and a sigh proceeded from the body attached. With a long, pained groan, Xel started to sit up, but stopped a second later when he felt a light pressure on his chest.

His head looked down, eyes squinting for a few seconds before his right hand brushed over a large lump sitting on his chestplate. When several dozen streaks of red pierced the white haze, memories came flooding back. _The bridge…it was sabotaged. Destroyed. I was on it when it happened. _He looked down at the red again. _So was Linn._ He brought two fingers to her neck, a sensor built into his glove picking up a strong pulse and sending it to his fingers through the hardened fibers of the crushgaunt. A sigh of relief left his throat, which, he was starting to realize, was raw from the extreme cold.

Another groan left his lips as he sat up again, gently pushing Linn off him and onto her back, even her light weight leaving a deep imprint in the equally deep snow. A few more blinks and a look around later, Xel spotted several dozen bodies, all in various states of visible damage, as well as the mobile control center of the plasma bridge. The center was only twenty feet away, so when he stood and waited until his legs felt stable enough, he picked Linn up in a cradle carry, holding her smaller body close to his chest. The armored Mando made his way to the structure with steady steps, only once feeling a bit woozy, and toward the end of his walk.

With another groan, he used his boot to power up an overturned repulsor chair, causing it to hover, then laid Linn's unconscious body in it, leaning on his knees and breathing heavily. A look at the interior of the structure revealed it had toppled onto one side during the fall, its door flying wide open but still hanging on its hinges. Taking one last look at Linn's rising and falling chest, he pulled an emergency blanket from a medkit on the "ceiling" and wrapped her in it, then stepped out the sideways door and closed it behind him.

A few taps of his ear revealed that his earpiece comlink had fallen out. A Mando'a curse came from his vocals when he pulled his comlink from his belt and found it crushed. A quick check verified that his weapons were still intact, everything from the Blackjack to his lightsaber, (not that the latter surprised him, considering it was _beskar_). There was only one more chance for communication, and he reached out over his bond with Alen only to come up against a virtual brick wall. _Osik._

That didn't make any sense, though. Alen had just contacted him a few minutes ago…right? The fog over his mind created by a combination of exhaustion, extreme cold, and a nearly half-mile fall resulted in his dismissing of the subject and moving onto matters of pure survival. A glint of sunlight reflected into his eyes as he took another step into the storm, and he turned to see a sight that nearly brought tears to his eyes. Ten seconds later, a _beskar_ helmet went over his rugged features, and as the armor's climate-control system powered on, he thanked the _Manda_ that it was still working.

He hadn't realize how numb his face was until heat started to return to it, melting a few scattered ice crystals that dripped into the neck of his bodysuit. Taking a quick look around for survivors, he stretched out with the Force and tagged only two: Linn and himself. He returned to the control center with stronger steps, some strength beginning to return with the heat his suit was providing. As he sat in another repulsor chair and tapped the side of his helmet, he had the armor do a quick diagnostic to see what was still working.

The jetpack was gone, that much was clear. Some kind of internal wiring issue—no surprise there. His grappling hook's launch mechanism was functional, but the reel was having some problems. A cursory check of the winch mechanism revealed some metal debris stuck in the opening. A Force Pull was enough to unjam it, and a quick test revealed full functionality. A quick mental check reviewed the rest of the diagnostic. _Climate control systems active, magnetic boots functional, crushgaunt internal sensors online, vital monitors running._

Linn shifted to his left with a small groan, but stayed unconscious.

_Dart launchers are operable…wrist rocket launchers not so much._ No surprise there. The rocket launchers had complex circuitry built in for target acquisition and lock assistance, since missiles were notoriously hard to aim. _Helmet heads-up display_ _is fully functional…_obviously_._ Another glance at Linn revealed signs of waking. _Communications are down…for now._ The red-head was finally starting to move, her eyes fluttering open as gently as possible as she put a hand in front of her face.

A cursory glance by those green eyes brought them focusing on Xel's t-visor. The man himself hovered his chair over to her.

"Are you all right?"

Linn glanced around her body, patting herself down for injuries before raising a hand to her forehead and wincing when her fingertips touched an angry purple blot. "More or less. Might have a concussion, though."

"Probably from your forehead hitting my armor on impact."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Impact?" Green eyes widened in realization. "Oh stars…the bridge. We fell." She looked away, silent for a while as horror filled her. "Xel, was my brother—"

"He wasn't on it when it blew. It was just us, a few technicians, soldiers, and about a dozen Imperial prisoners." He waited a moment before adding, "Everyone but us is dead."

Her pained eyes met his through the visor as she gulped and nodded slowly. She hadn't been expecting otherwise, but that didn't make the loss any less keen. "Is there, uh…is there anyone coming?"

Xel cocked his head sideways, reaching out with the Force again but again getting nothing. He huffed. "I heard my brother's voice in my head right before I woke up, so I guess he's putting something together…"

"But?"

"I haven't been able to contact him since. It's like something's blocking me. Either that or he's closed the bond for the moment, though why he would do that I don't know."

She nodded again, just as slowly as before, and slumped back into her seat, eyes glistening slightly. A quiet sigh left Xel as he looked at her state. She was deeply empathic, easily as much so as Alen, if not more. And she was too damned nice. Cynical? A little. Had a rough side? Sure, who didn't? But what really separated her from the rest of the rebel population, both their brothers included, was that she cared—so—kriffing—much. About everyone. Even the stormtroopers she'd had to kill left a sad look in her eyes.

_She's too soft,_ he thought with no judgement. Xel didn't think he'd appreciate her any other way.

"So what do we do now?"

The sudden question snapped Caden from his reverie. "We stay put. Whatever rebels survived the blast will come looking for us eventually, and I don't fancy a long hike through this weather, even with my armor." Though the reason for that was the relatively poorly-equipped young woman in front of him.

Linn nodded slowly, once again deferring to his judgement. A strange yet familiar look entered her eyes as she looked at him, a small smile coming to her face. She laid a hand on his arm, eyes locking with his. "Thank you," she said softly.

He cocked his head. "For?"

A small chuckle left her lips. "For trusting me? For being my friend? For saving my life? Twice?" Her head cocked. "Actually, a hell of a lot more than that." She shrugged and crossed her arms. "Pick one."

The smile she was giving him was doing strange things to Xel's gut. He had only seen it on one other person, and only a select few times. Pushing the slightly uncomfortable feeling aside, he turned sideways to look out a lopsided window. The sight that greeted him sent alarm through his system.

"Can you walk?" Xel asked sharply, voice tight.

Linn immediately straightened. "I think so, why?"

"Because we need to move. _Now_." Caden got to his feet, crouching down immediately as Linn did the same. "Hold my hand."

She gave him that strange look again.

"The last thing we need is to get separated in this squall," he explained, expending effort to keep his voice even, outstretching his open hand.

"Oh," she said softly, putting her smaller gloved hand in his.

Xel turned back toward the closed door and started moving toward it, gently nudging it open as quietly as possible, then stepping out a few feet. When no one started shooting, he motioned Linn forward with his free hand and fell into a slow, crouched jog, his red-haired companion in tow. The three snowtroopers he'd glimpsed a small distance away were fast approaching, but not fast enough to stop them from ducking through a crevice in the side of the mountain.

Nevertheless, the whine of several blasters discharging reached Xel's ears, and the Mando quickly yanked Linn in front of him, putting himself between her and the incoming fire. None of the shots came anywhere close, since there was a wall of rock and ice between them and the attackers a moment later, the pair climbing one boulder after the next as an icy wind blew through the six-foot-wide crevice. They only managed to rise twenty feet before they ran out of handholds, Xel tugging Linn up to his level and holding her body close to his as she shivered violently.

"Here," he said hurriedly but calmly, reaching to the back of his belt and pulling something from a hardcase.

Linn did a double-take as he threw it around her narrow shoulders, the Mandalorian shoulder cloak managing to cover most of her less insulated areas. Xel pulled one of the pins from her hair, sticking it through the insulating fabric and keeping it folded around her shoulders. She nodded her thanks even as he turned around, his movements rapid and focused as he ignited his lightsaber, the _snap-hiss_ of the sapphire blade even louder in the veritable echo chamber they were in.

Five seconds later, a hole had been drilled through the thick ice barring their path, allowing them to duck into a system of caves so dark, their hand-holding was the only way Linn could navigate without going straight into a wall. Xel was doing much better with his helmet's night vision, navigating with some difficulty the maze that was the inside of the mountain. Inevitably, he heard the rapid echoes of pursuing steps and tightened his jaw, picking up the pace and half-dragging Linn along.

When he stretched out with the Force, he found many more signatures than he'd previously assumed, over a dozen, in hot pursuit. His teeth gritted hard, free hand tightening around the grip of his blaster. His Force connection reached in other directions, to Alen, Ezra, Kanan, to anyone who could hear, but he was either too far or too emotional, because nothing came back. Mild hyperventilation hit him as he wondered at it. _I've faced far, _far_ worse odds before, so what the hell…_

He blinked once, hard, as he felt the appendage holding onto his right hand for dear life. _Oh._ His grip tightened slightly around hers as he kept up the pace, both of them practically sprinting toward what Xel hoped was the exit.

…

Alen's eyes snapped open as his hands rose from a previously serious wound on a shrapnel victim. His bond with Xel opened completely, and he mentally recoiled when he felt the near-panic from his brother's end.

_"Xel?"_ he sent.

_"Where the _hell_ have you been, _vod_?!"_

Alen winced at his tone. _"The explosion didn't just take out the bridge emitters, it took out most everything within a fifteen-foot radius of them. I've been helping to treat the victims."_

_"Well, we need you _now_!"_

The Jedi's brows furrowed. _"Wait, we?"_

_ "Linn's here too. I caught her when we were falling. She's okay…for now."_

Alen sighed in relief and looked over at Eran, who was staring numbly at the ground, seated halfway in a medevac vehicle. _"That's great news. Where are you?"_

_ "Right now? In a kriffing cave somewhere below you. We've got a dozen bucketheads in pursuit and no end in sight."_

_"Okay. Okay, just…keep moving. I'll find you. Somehow."_

_"Hurry, _vod_. I don't know how long we can keep running."_

Alen looked back toward Eran, but the rebel was long gone, the transport having already taken off back to base. Pursing his lips, he ran toward the _Ghost_ crew on the ground, tapping Kanan on the shoulder. "I just got contact from Xel. He's with Linn, but they're in trouble_._ We can't wait any longer. Gotta look for them _now_."

The Jedi Knight nodded once, turning his attention back to the man he was treating. His hands pressed against an open wound and sealed it with a scab mere seconds later. Kanan looked pale and tired when he got to his feet, but was still going when he gave Alen a nod and waved Zeb to come with them. A landspeeder was procured from Garth after a bit of yelling on his part and liberal usage of the Force to change his mind. Kanan raised an eyebrow at Alen's blatant abuse of power, but said nothing. He understood the boy's willingness to bend the rules for family.

Barely a minute later, they all mounted into the procured vehicle, Kanan driving while Alen kept the front passenger seat and Zeb covered them from the back with his bo rifle. The Lasat was scanning the snow for any threats, his keen eyes more than trustworthy behind the barrel of his blaster.

"Where are we headed?" Kanan asked, eyebrows furrowed under his winterized hood in concentration.

Alen closed his eyes and reached out over the bond. "Not sure…the link's kinda fuzzy. Strange. That's never happened before."

"What do you think it means?"

Ice-blue eyes opened as he pointed toward a snow-covered hill off to the right. "Don't know." His expression went grim. "Nothing good."

…

5 minutes later

In hindsight, manually throwing a high-explosive missile into the middle of a crossfire may not have been the best of ideas, considering the density of flying plasma, but hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Xel and Linn had just managed to exit the cave system when a squad of snowtroopers ambushed them from behind. Several glancing shots hit his armor after he put himself between them and the girl, more than a few of his own returned as they retreated. The troopers retreated behind the cover of the cave walls when Xel had opened up in an automatic burst, putting themselves squarely under the cave's entry.

He'd looked up and ruefully mused that it'd be great to have his rocket launchers right about then before remembering that he still had the rockets themselves. At that point, he'd cracked open his left gauntlet, yanked a missile from its loading track, and chucked it at the archway like a grenade. Of course, that was the _exact_ moment the squad decided to open fire again, which means their gunfire detonated it just as it hit the halfway mark. Both sides were peppered with molten shrapnel and melted snow, but Xel took the worst of it, several barbs sticking in his bodysuit and leaving shallow cuts.

He hissed in pain as he withdrew behind a snow bank, Linn already having taken cover and kept her head down during the firefight. Xel returned fire on the recovering soldiers when she spotted his injuries.

"Xel, your shoulder!"

"It's nothing," he said genuinely. He'd dueled Darth Vader, wrestled with Purge Troopers, and nearly beaten a fellow Mandalorian to death—with his mind. A few metal scraps weren't gonna take him down. Another salvo emitted from his assault pistols before he noticed Linn's profound lack of weapon. "Here," he said, handing her his off-hand blaster while drawing his lightsaber with the now-empty hand.

Linn jumped on the opportunity to counterattack, exchanging fire with the incoming Imperials and keeping them relatively suppressed. That is, until fire started coming from another source. Red plasma crisscrossed the space between them as another two squads of snowtroopers sprinted toward their position, their white forms blending almost perfectly with the storm. On instinct, Linn fired in the direction of a plasma blast and was rewarded with a pained yell. Xel tapped her shoulder in approval, then yanked it as he pulled her away from a shot that would've left her head a smoking ruin.

"We need to move, now!"

Riilos nodded rapidly and clambered to her feet, sprinting in time with his long strides as they fled. _Maybe I _should've_ repainted the armor,_ Xel thought with a snarl. He shoved Linn behind an icy boulder as he followed her behind it, barely seeing the cliff drop just ten feet further. As he looked from his cover toward the incoming snowtroopers, about twenty or so, all told, he noticed another crevice on his right, one that would lead away from the battle and, if his instincts were correct, _toward_ help.

He could feel his brother's signature fast approaching, but not fast enough. His teeth gritted as another plasma round smacked the boulder, reaching out with the Force and trying to reach his brother. Instead, he got a slightly foggy picture of him sitting in a landspeeder with two others, their features indistinguishable.

_"_Vod_,_ _you need to get here now."_

He tried to send as much emotion as possible to transmit a Force-powered beacon to his brother, but in the heat of their battle, which was steadily heating up, he couldn't be sure of his success, and there was no audible response from Alen. Instead, he turned to Linn.

"Linn, you need to go. When I say, go through that crevice and keep going."

"What?" she asked, her expression shocked. "I'm not leaving you here!"

"Don't argue with me!" he growled, shifting his lightsaber to his right hand. "Just go! I'll get their attention!"

Without another word, Caden stepped from cover and ignited his saber, the dark blue blade barely visible in its white backdrop, but enough so that most of the incoming fire was directed completely at him. One bolt after another was swatted out of the air as he took a step forward, away from the boulder. The sound of one of his blasters firing from behind set his teeth on edge, and his momentary distraction allowed one bolt to slip past his guard. It hadn't been heading for his body, though, so he dismissed it.

That is, until his mind registered the feminine yelp of pain that followed it.

Xel's eyes widened to their max as he reflected two shots into their sources on instinct, then thumbed the blade off and withdrew behind cover. "Where is it?" he asked in a near-panic, hands drifting over her body to look for the injury. "Linn, where were you hit?" When she didn't respond, he looked up to her eyes and felt all the breath rush from his lungs at once. His helmet hit the snow-covered ground a second later.

"No," he breathed. "No-no-no-no…" One gloved hand lifted to her cheek, stroking it gently, then falling to her chest when her left hand guided his to the injury. "No," he whimpered brokenly, eyes staring at the blackened spot on the left side of her chest—right over her heart. Xel reluctantly stretched out with the Force to feel her life slowly ebbing away. "No…"

_Not again, _not_ again…_

His head tilted down, chin hitting his chestplate as his entire body slumped in crippling grief. His jaw hung open in a silent wail, shoulder shaking violently as tears streaked down his cheeks. A gentle touch tipped his chin back up, and his eyes followed to lock onto hers. A breath left his lungs when he saw that same strange, affectionate expression on her face and in her eyes, a smile on her face even as she died in his arms. What happened next was so completely shocking that he couldn't help but stare at her for a few seconds after.

She kissed him. Full, on the lips, ever so gently. Gently pulled his head closer and planted her mouth on his. It lasted only a second, only a moment of agonizing contact…but it was enough. His Force senses activated almost the same way they had with Maila for the past weeks, and he felt every scrap of protectiveness, admiration, and pent-up emotion she'd been harboring for him for _months_. Belatedly, a small, insignificant part of his mind wondered how he'd missed it.

The rest could only focus on the way those feelings ended when her lips left his, suddenly and abruptly. When he opened his eyes again, in the Force and his body, then he knew that she was dead. A vise grip tightened around his chest, around his heart, so painfully he felt it would explode from the pressure. His right hand drifted from her wound to her pale cheek, gently stroking it as his left closed her eyes, then fell limp against his lap.

The hand stroking her face kept going, ever-so-gently, the appendage cupping her soft, delicate features, still smiling, even in death. It stilled when his features twisted in grief, the fingers biting into her skin slightly as his entire body began to tense. His head bowed, eyes staring into the blood-stained snow that melted with his falling tears. His shoulders shook violently, arms and legs following. His lips twitched repeatedly, oscillating from one state to another before something snapped inside him.

A familiar spark sent his upper lip curling into a snarl and his entire frame vibrating as rage consumed his insides, setting everything that wasn't already hardened to stone ablaze. Slowly, menacingly, his head rose again, eyes locking onto Linn's closed ones as his face just stopped feeling the cold. His eyes smoldered and hands loosened as they fell to his sides, two metal cylinders finding their way into his grasp as the Force flooded his consciousness with the approaching presences of twenty-plus stormtroopers.

And then he let the devil out.

An animalistic, inhuman roar came from one side of the boulder as two distinct _snap-hisses_ split the air. The snowtrooper who came in first immediately began sputtering and choking as two beams of energy skewered him, then withdrew before decapitating both him and the man immediately behind him. They batted away a half-dozen bolts of plasma, their owner sending an expression so rageful and inhuman, they actually froze. It lasted barely a second, but it was enough.

Xel let loose another roar as the Force stormed through him and he leapt into the middle of twenty stormtroopers that didn't realize they were already dead.

…

Alen's eyes shut tightly, every fiber of his being focused on finding the source of the complete emotional upheaval that had finally cleared the fog and slammed into his consciousness. The orbs snapped open a moment later. _No._ "That way," he said sharply, pointing to a cliffside in the distance on their left.

Barely a minute had passed when they reached it, but it was the longest minute of Alen's life. He was the first to leap off the speeder when the sounds of blaster fire reached his ears, legs carrying him toward the source with Force-powered steps. When he cleared the edge of a particularly large snow bank, he froze completely, his jaw falling completely limp.

Strewn about like confetti from a cheap firework were the white-clad bodies of snowtroopers—or, what was _left_ of them. Blackened heads, hands, arms, and legs were just as populous on the snow-covered ground as intact corpses, if not more so. Two more blaster shots rang out, and Alen immediately snapped his attention to them. _No…Force no._

There was his brother, yanking Telia's blade from the chest of a trooper as his own blade deflected the incoming rounds, then moved so fast Alen could barely see it. Xel dashed toward the trooper in two Force-powered strides, one saber slashing his E-11 in two, the other taking both his hands off at the wrist. He shrieked with pain as he backed up into a large, round boulder, pleading incoherently as Xel stalked toward him, inexorable.

He let out a long, blood-curdling scream when both blades went into opposite sides of his lower torso, his body slowly lifted off the ground as both hilts kept him pressed against the rock. Alen's stomach did a sharp flip when Xel slashed both his blades sideways, toward each other in opposite directions. The bisected corpse fell to the ground with identical thumps as Xel just stood there, sabers held at his sides, staring at what was left with the corpse. Alen could only see his back, but he thought he had a pretty good idea of what was on his face: the rage, the scowl, the insanely burning eyes.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

The moment Xel turned, Alen saw his dark blue eyes, once so full of life and vibrancy, once full of happiness, now dead and dull, staring back at him as from a cadaver. His face was utterly impassive, no registry of emotion whatsoever. Only the continued rise and fall of his chest and his feeling in the Force could tell him his brother was still alive, because to the naked eye, he looked like a dead man walking. That feeling, though, was what worried him most.

It was the old familiar black hole—or the beginnings of one.

"Xel?" he asked quietly, taking a step toward him.

The Mando tightened the grip around his sabers, eyes narrowing slightly.

Alen froze in place, feeling the unease in the two sentients that had just arrived behind him, and raised one hand calmingly. "Easy, brother. I'm here. You're safe. It's okay."

Xel just continued to stare at him for a few moments, jaw clenching briefly. "It's really not," he replied in a broken whisper, barely audible over the ice-tinged gale.

His lightsabers deactivated a second later and returned to his belt as he marched toward the round boulder that still bore traces of the last snowtrooper's execution. When Alen followed him to the other side, his gut wrenched painfully. There lay Linn Riilos, peaceful and beautiful and lifeless.

"Oh Force," he breathed. "Xel…I'm so sorry."

He looked over at the boy in question and didn't see a boy. He saw a man, hardened by war, embittered by loss, angered by his own helplessness. The tumult inside him was plain for anyone to see, Force-user or otherwise, his tears both anger and grief-driven. Alen didn't add anything else, but when Kanan and Zeb arrived, the latter cursed in his home language and the former lowered his head respectfully.

"I'll get her body on the landspeeder," Zeb said somberly, stopped by a black-gloved hand on his arm, the grip tight and restrictive.

Instead, Xel crouched down and picked her up in a cradle carry, stalking silently over to the speeder, two Jedi and a Lasat forming a protective wedge around him. He was silent when he seated himself in the back, silent as he gently stroked Linn's lifeless face, silent during the entire uneventful trip back to base, silent during Alen's rough explanation of what he thought happened, which was surprisingly spot-on. When the Jedi looked over at him for confirmation, he just nodded, helmet tucked under his arm since Zeb handed it back to him.

He'd laid Linn's body in the morgue of the med center, hand brushing hair out of her face and crossing her hands over her stomach, then been pulled straight over to Commander Tobin, who listened with a carefully schooled mask as Alen outlined the botched takeover. Xel stayed completely silent throughout the whole hour it took for all this to complete, then strode off the moment Tobin dismissed them.

Alen stared at his retreating brother with half-lidded eyes, then turned back to Tobin. "I should check on my brother. He's…taking this hard."

Hile nodded gravely, dismissing the go look for Xel. It wasn't a difficult task. Whatever fog had existed over their bond before was gone, so all of Caden's grief, rage, and hatred, both internal and external, acted as a homing beacon for Alen. He found him in a materials warehouse that was quickly abandoned when its former tenants saw the incoming Mandalorian. The moment Alen stepped through the door, he became aware of a loud metal clang, turning a corner to see and hear Xel flipping a heavy metal table ten feet away, following with several downward blows to an empty metal crate that left fist-shaped dents behind.

He was practically wailing at the top of his lungs at this point, the sound heart-wrenching to Alen's ears as he watched his brother's complete emotional breakdown. _He never let himself grieve for her. He never let her go. And now he's feeling _all_ of it._ About twenty seconds after his entry, Xel stopped breaking things—and probably his hands as well—and just slumped against a duracrete wall, his arms curled around his bent knees as he rocked back and forth, silent sobs racking his frame. He seemed so much smaller, no longer the stoic, imposing Mando most were used to seeing, now every bit the young child he was supposed to be.

There was nothing left in the tank but pain, and Alen knew it. So he strode over to the younger man and crouched down in front of him, not saying a word but unraveling his tense arms and pulling him into a tight embrace as his broken sobs were finally given a voice. Xel's armored limbs clenched around Alen's midsection painfully, but he could take it. If all the injuries he received from this necessary action were some bruises, it was the least he could do. After all, physical injuries were the easiest to heal.

When he seemed to calm a bit, the shaking reduced to semi-docile vibrations, Alen spoke softly. "I'm so sorry, Xel. I…I know she was special to you."

Another sob shook Xel's body before he answered in a broken whisper. "No, she wasn't."

Alen drew back a bit and stared at his downcast, reddened eyes in confusion.

Xel looked up, meeting his brother's inquisitive expression with one of misery. "But she _could've_ been."

The Jedi pursed his lips and nodded in understanding, sympathy flooding his expression as he pulled his brother close again. "Xel—"

"Don't tell me it's all right," he rasped. "Or that it's gonna be all right. It's not." His arms tightened. "Nothing will ever be right again," he exhaled.

"I wasn't going to say that," Alen said softly. "Just that I'm here." He shifted a little to hold him closer. "I'm always here for you, _vod_."

Xel nodded into his dampened shoulder, body shaking again as the tears continued to fall.

Alen just held him.

* * *

AN: Seems to be a pattern with me writing depressing chapters lately. I'm truly sorry about that, but the fact is, this is all necessary for what comes next. And what comes next is the last chapter before the season finale begins, which may be three or two-part, depending on how long the chapters end up running. Hope you've had a blast with the Rebellion and how I cast Xel and his team/family in it. If you hate me by the end of season two, I understand. I kind of hate myself for all the misery I've written as of late.

But _**don't lose hope**_!

Season three is another matter entirely, and by the end of season two, you'll know why. There will be less crammed into short time periods in season three, with far less tragedy and much more adventure.

I can promise only one thing for the season finale.

_**EPIC FREAKING SPACE BATTLE**_

And on that note, the preview.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Xel and the others begin to adjust to life without Linn as the Alliance pulls out of Ilum. The Mandalorian must address his fears and face reality when a vision from the Force gives him a glimpse of his path.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones – The Tusken Camp and the Homestead: start-1:03—fleeing the snowtroopers/search-and-rescue, 1:46-2:18—Linn's death, 2:18-end of track—Xel's reaction to end of chapter


	36. Mourning

"Don't tell me it's all right," he rasped. "Or that it's gonna be all right. It's not." His arms tightened. "Nothing will ever be right again," he exhaled.

"I wasn't going to say that," Alen said softly. "Just that I'm here." He shifted a little to hold him closer. "I'm always here for you, _vod_."

Xel nodded into his dampened shoulder, body shaking again as the tears continued to fall.

Alen just held him.

…

1 week later

The Makrin Star

2 months BBY

Eight hundred uniformed people were gathered in the main hangar of the _Makrin Star_, more than had ever been there previous. The crowd was so large that some of its denser sections found it somewhat hard to breathe. The reason for this was, of course, that several hundred more people were taking up a large section of the hangar. They, however, did not contribute to or detract from the air quality. A few words were spoken by a uniformed man elevated above the crowd, facing them with an expression as grim as the sight behind him: rows upon rows of filled coffins, each of them containing a fallen comrade or at least something to remember them by.

Sometimes the Empire took even that from them.

As the somber speech came to a close, many in the crowd simply passed through the rows and into various exits, too badly affected or busy to give more than that to honor the dead in public. Others hung around the containers, blankly standing in the middle of the whole battalion's worth of corpses in numb grief. Many were more open in their emotions, some going so far as to collapse to their knees and clutch the coffin of the one they lost, someone they loved or knew from prosperity to hardship. Still others strode up to a coffin, staring at its metallic surface with tense stances and unreadable expressions.

One such man stood over a clear-windowed coffin, the transparisteel at one end allowing the hangar's lights to illuminate the elegant red hair and pale skin of the woman inside, little more than a kid, really. The man was not in uniform, leastways not like the rest of them. He stood erect, stoic, and completely blank of visible expression or emotion. Of course, just because something is invisible doesn't mean it isn't there. A gentle hand on his arm left a few moments later when it got no response, the eleven other figures around him forming a ring around the coffin.

One stood directly opposite him, a man with the same piercing green eyes as the dead woman and sandy brown hair. They never made eye contact or said a word, either as the other mourners around them spoke in subdued whispers, or as the brother of the first man asked him a question, to which he shook his head. _I can't,_ he thought. His brother heard him.

"_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc. Ni partayli, gar darasuum._"

The words were spoken softly, uncertainly, their utterer less than confident in his pronunciation, but his brother gave him a reassuring nod. Silence reigned over the gathering for a long time, even as they began to file away one by one, numbers dwindling until only two remained, standing on opposite sides of the coffin. A quick glance around would have revealed the hangar to be completely devoid of life besides the pair. Slowly, their eyes rose to meet each other, expressions of grim understanding on both their faces.

"I'm sorry," one said suddenly, voice quavering despite his efforts to keep it even.

The other shook his head with a small, sad smile. "It's not your fault."

"It is when you think about it. She trusted me with her safety. _You_ trusted me with her safety. I let her die. I betrayed that trust."

The other man remained silent a while, eyes returning to the face in the coffin. "She was shot. In the heart." He looked back at the man. "Were you the one who shot her?"

"No," he replied flatly.

"Then you have nothing to apologize for." He took in a deep, ragged breath, releasing it a moment later. "Xel," he whispered, "she was shot in the heart. Modern medicine can cure a lot of ills, but…" he gave Xel a long, intense look, "death isn't one of them."

Xel was silent a while, staring at Linn's dead form. "And what about the Force? There's nothing 'modern' about it. It doesn't abide by your rules, by anyone's. Only its own and those set by those who choose to use it. If I were stronger, more powerful…"

"That's crazy talk, kid, and you know it."

The Mando snarled at Eran. "I'm _not_ a kid _anymore_," he hissed, each word spoken with considerable emphasis.

Eran let out a low, bitter chuckle. "But you are." He looked straight into Xel's dangerously dark eyes, watching as they narrowed slowly. "You_ are _a kid. Mature, yeah. Experienced, absolutely. But you're still fourteen years old, with the fears and the insecurities and the emotional roller coaster we all have to go through. You have the idea in your head that you have to be some stoic killer, dead to emotion, impervious to pain."

"I'm not hiding my emotions," Caden protested.

"Maybe not, but you're not releasing them either."

The youth smirked sardonically. "Weren't you listening when I told you what happened to those Imperials?"

"Yeah, maybe that was a bit of a release. Maybe. But it's not just anger you feel when someone you love dies." He looked back at Linn. "Trust me, I know. There are other emotions you have to let yourself experience…so you can let them go. And _you_ haven't. You're hiding behind a veneer of professionalism and a wall of anger, _thinking_ it's for the best, that you can't feel pain unless you choose to. Well I've got news for you, buddy. You keep this in for much longer, and nothing, no blaster shot, no lava pit, no Imperial torture will be able to inflict more pain than all that pent-up grief will."

Xel met his gaze angrily until he couldn't, instead looking down the hangar bay, down every row of the two-hundred soldiers they'd lost in the Ilum conflict. The bridge bombing had just been the beginning. After that day, the Empire finally showed its hand: dozens of AT-STs, hundreds of tanks and bombers, troopers flowing like the ocean. The rebels were practically overrun within days. It was a small miracle they managed to escape at all, and only due to a sacrifice by an unlikely savior: Garth.

…

"Get to the transport!"

"We're not leaving without you, Captain!"

"That's an order, you damned merc! For once in your life, follow it!"

Xel stared through the thick transparisteel door separating him from the rebel officer, who was locked in a staredown contest with the Mando. "You know…we never did see eye-to-eye…but you were a warrior, Garth, and a good man. I'm sorry."

Garth stared at him for another second, mouth hanging open slightly in shock, before his face lit up in a malevolent grin, a detonator gripped in his right hand. "I'm not."

Xel sprinted back across the tunnel at maximum speed, barely managing to leap aboard the last evac shuttle before Garth hit the button, engulfing the rebels' former base and the hundreds of Imperials there in purging flames.

…

Caden let out a long breath as he remembered the events of the previous day, eyes fluttering open as he looked back at an intently staring Eran. An internal groan ran through his system as he remembered his friend's last words.

"Thanks for the pep talk," he nearly snarled as he turned away, curbing his animosity when he caught sight of Linn's coffin again.

Not another word was spoken as he stalked from the hangar, helmet under his arm going over his features as his father's Mandalorian shoulder cloak flapped in the ship's stale filtered air.

He barely heard Eran say, "That's what friends are for. That's what she would want."

…

10 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal

"Do you need anything, sir?"

"No, Tee. Thank you."

His voice was flat and nearly emotionless, but Alen wasn't fooled, and he gave the droid a reassuring nod as its dark metal body passed him. The Jedi seated himself some six feet away from his brother, remaining silent and just watching him work as he sharpened his knife using a plasma torch. He'd thought he was getting better when he broke down on Ilum, but the moment he'd stopped crying, Xel had retreated into himself and locked his emotional walls tight. Alen had thought he knew why. After all, if he'd broken down in front of Eran in the _middle_ of telling him what happened, the results could have been…catastrophic.

As it happened, Xel had managed to keep a straight face the whole time…until Eran asked him what happened to the troopers. He'd _felt_ Xel's darkness from across the base, his rage. It had terrified him. After all, over a dozen men had been violently and agonizingly executed the last time he'd felt _that_. A rapid, Force-assisted sprint across the base brought him within sight of the pair, both their expressions soothing his nerves, though only slightly. Xel's features were still carefully schooled, but his eyes and tightened jaw betrayed the emotions clearly written all over Eran's face: anger, grief…vengeance.

He had thought after this that his younger brother would be able to release his pent-up emotions, but one week later, Xel's walls were still as tight as ever. Alen blinked again, clearing away his thoughts briefly to look at his brother. Xander's shoulder cloak was draped over Xel's left arm, one corner of it attached at the shoulder, its gray surface only broken by a single white stripe on its front edge and a small symbol of Mandalore in black at the shoulder connection. Alen understood the significance of the gray, since Xel had told him about his father's armor, and, after the events of last week, he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt what the gold sword on his left pauldron symbolized.

The black, however, was new. Although he had seen the color figure heavily in Xel's prized droid, he hadn't thought it a stylistic measure as much as practical. Black _did_ blend in better with most environments, after all. Seeing the symbol on Xander's cloak, though, gave him the idea that PT-37's paintjob may not have been purely professional. It—correction, _he_—seemed to have gained a new sense of identity ever since the incident with Tenau, become less instantly subservient and more independent-minded. Though he'd initially been concerned at this development, Peetee's newfound free-thinking had saved their lives several times in the last week. Alen personally owed the droid, as did Iola, half the crew of the _Ghost_, and over a dozen rebel soldiers.

…

6 days ago

Ilum

"Get to cover!"

The yelled command was enough to send the entirety of the rebel contingent diving behind rocks, snow banks, and fallen rubble large enough to block the hail-fire of a dozen rotary cannons firing at once. Red plasma streaked and peppered the landscape, melting their cover bit by bit until Ezra and Sabine performed a maneuver with Zeb that launched them both thirty feet into the air, giving them perfect shots on two of the Imperial gunners. They went down with identical salvos from the teens as three others angled their large weapons upward at the falling pair. They twisted wildly in a series of midair rolls and spins, dodging the incoming fire as they fell with considerable grace.

Briefly wincing, Alen stretched out with the Force when he saw a rocket launched in their direction, yanking them both back behind the firing line and away from an explosion that impacted a rock column five feet to their right, showering their former position with jagged rock splinters. They sent their thanks before returning fire on the enemy, the rest of the rebels following suit in coordinated bursts, section by section to keep the Imperials off-balanced. Two more gunners went down before the rebels began taking casualties. Three fell when a rocket shattered their cover, sending shards of durasteel slicing through their bodies.

The lack of cover there created a window of opportunity for a concealed sniper to take out two more. Though the consultants and commandos of the group were easily keeping their cool, the rank-and-file soldiers were starting to panic, firing haphazardly with poorly aimed shots doing little more than giving away their positions. The Imperial snipers gladly obliged them, taking out eight more within less than twenty seconds. Alen's teeth gritted as he stretched out with the Force, the battlefield fading to the edges of his consciousness as he focused on the enemy.

His senses tagged at least twenty-four contacts, the gunners, snipers, and several snowtroopers before finding a mobile artillery team consisting of three Imperial technicians and a mortar. Ice-blue eyes snapped wide open, shifting to give Ezra a look. The older teen returned it, indicating that he'd felt it as well. Alen motioned to the commando team at his back, waving them forward as he ignited his lightsaber. Several high-velocity bolts ricocheted off his blade as the snipers attempted an assassination, the Jedi managing to protect his team as well as they advanced.

Ezra followed suit with his side of the column, their lightsabers acting as banners to the frightened men and spurring them forward. It was a form of potent psychological warfare, one they were both taking full advantage of, especially when the gunners focused on the advancing troops before stopping to stare briefly at the two Jedi. That momentary hesitation was all they needed for Zeb and Sabine to perform counter-sniping operations, taking out all but one of the remaining gunners and confusing the stormtroopers running up the rear. Alen pressed forward, a small, malevolent smirk gracing his features as he cut down the last gunner and began deflecting bolts from eight different sources.

The rebels took up cover behind rocks, columns, and rubble once again, this time at a much smaller distance as they laid into the enemy, whittling down the troopers' numbers bit by bit. Snipers killed four more rebels as they kept up the pressure, Ezra alternating between deflects and returning fire with his gun-saber while Zeb closed in and pounced on a squad of snowtroopers. The massive Lasat tossed two into a metal building, one of six built into the staging area, drawing his bo staff and electrocuting a third with one end. His weapon spun in a blur of violet electricity as he carved a path through the remaining guards, Sabine covering his back and suppressing two of the concealed snipers.

Alen felt a warning flash from the Force and stretched out to the Specters with the Force even as Ezra tackled Sabine to the side. Zeb similarly went flying fifteen feet into a snow bank from a Force Push by Alen an instant before an explosion impacted on the exact spot they'd been standing. The Jedi turned his eyes upward to see a brightly glowing arc coming from the other end of the camp.

"Mortar!" he yelled to the troops, sprinting for cover far from where he calculated the incoming projectile would impact.

Sure enough, it did, sending chunks of rock and ice in all directions but otherwise doing no damage. The troops on the ground, though, were another story. Alen stretched out again, tagging a massive influx of snowtroopers and surmising that there was a ground-based troop transport somewhere out there. He picked up the driver a second later and felt his heart jump when he sensed it heading toward them. That kind of mounted firepower would devastate their group. Seeing Ezra, he gave the older youth a nod. Sabine pulled something from her cloak, the winterized addition hiding a great many extra toys.

She strapped one to her left gauntlet, raising the appendage and allowing the antenna on her helmet to angle downward. Alen waited with bated breath as the transport came into view through the never-ending blizzard, ten snowtroopers acting as escort. His comlink clicked on as Sabine's voice drifted over.

"Gotcha."

A single twitch of her wrist sent a small dart streaking from her gauntlet, impacting the transport at one of its armor joints. A series of quiet beeps preceded the four-foot radius explosion that engulfed the vehicle and the air around it, along with several snowtroopers, the rest opening fire on the rebels as they responded in kind. Seconds later, the smoke cleared to reveal a charred and dented, but mostly intact, Imperial transport. Alen's heart skipped a beat when its rooftop turbolasers activated and swiveled in their direction.

"Scatter!"

Despite his order, the vehicle-mounted cannons sent explosive plasma streaking into concentrations of soldiers, incinerating some in the initial blasts and throwing others into the snow with third and second-degree burns. Agonized shrieks came from the wounded and dying in equal amounts, Alen's heart leaping out of his chest as his lungs went on overdrive. The two Jedi charged toward the vehicle, firing and deflecting in equal amounts in their fight to reach the transport. Then the cannons swiveled toward them. Force Leaps at exactly the same time barely carried them out of danger before the snowtroopers opened fire on the airborne Jedi.

Several deflects were made before they touched down on the roof of a nearby building, the transport's cannons shifting to target them. _Perfect,_ Alen thought with a smirk, easily batting away incoming fire when he saw Sabine sprinting for the target. Two snowtroopers had the misfortune of getting close, but they held their own regardless and actually managed to disarm her of her pistols, one getting an arm around her neck while the other tried to cheap-shot her. She kicked him in the gut hard, her hands on the arm around her throat as she used the unfortunate trooper in front of her as a springboard to perform a backflip. Her newfound placement behind her initial attacker allowed her to kick out one knee and bring his helmeted head down into hers. The satisfying crack of white plastoid on her _beskar_ was like roughly played music.

Unfortunately, the other troopers and transport had managed to suppress the two Jedi, allowing the guards on the ground to shift their attention to her. A dozen plasma bolts shot toward her at once. Three found their mark. Sabine yelped in pain as she fell backwards, one of the shots having found a gap in her armor, the sleeveless aspect of her suit coming back to bite her. Her left arm fell limp as she crawled back, pulling one of the unconscious troopers up to serve as a shield against the incoming fire.

Alen knew it wouldn't last long, and nodded to Ezra when the boy shot him an alarmed look. The blue-black-haired teen leapt off the roof into a rapidly executed roll, cutting down two snowtroopers and getting the attention of the rest as Alen kept distracting the transport. He too leapt to ground level, ducking between buildings as turbolaser fire continued to pursue him. He was so distracted by the vehicle that an incoming mortar was nearly overlooked. As it happened, he leapt forward suddenly only to have his jump elongated when the explosive shell hit his former position, launching him twenty feet into a durasteel wall.

He shakily rose to his feet, his shoulder sore and body aching all over. The transport's turbolasers both leveled against him at the same time it deployed more snowtroopers, Ezra and Sabine virtually surrounded by angry E-11s. There was no way either of them could move in time. As it turned out, they didn't have to.

Another voice growled through the team-wide comlink, one Alen knew all too well.

"Imperial meatbags acquired."

A half-dozen missiles descended from the sky, three of them slamming into the weak point made by Sabine's dart and cracking the transport in half. Alen angled his eyes upward, catching a rocket-powered black blur that angled its arms downward. Blue plasma streaked from gauntlet-mounted repeaters, the t-visored figure of PT-37 raining death on the Imperials below. Ten of them went down within the first eight seconds, the rest following not much later as Sabine retrieved a blaster and opened fire with Ezra and Alen. Another explosive shell landed not far from what remained of their approaching strike team, and Alen turned his eyes in the direction of the mortar crew.

Peetee picked up on his thoughts, as evidenced by the flaring of his jump-jets and flight toward the source of the artillery. A series of explosions rocked an area in the distance, the droid having put his new shoulder-mounted missile launchers to use. No further sounds were heard except the blowing of icy wind, Alen's face starting to numb as the adrenaline slowly sapped out of his system. Sabine was hissing as Ezra fussed over her injury, though whether in pain or annoyance the younger boy couldn't tell. A heavy form touched down behind the Jedi, and Alen turned to face their robotic savior with an appreciative smile.

"They had us dead to rights." He bumped the droid's shoulder with his fist. "We owe ya one, Tee."

His head tilted slightly, the t-visor, of course, betraying none of his emotions. "You are welcome, but no thanks is necessary."

Alen smiled wider and tilted his head in respect. "Send Xel a thank you too."

The droid tensed up—if a mechanical being _could_ tense.

Ice-blue eyes narrowed in confusion for a few seconds before a possibility dawned on him. "Wait…you mean…he didn't send you?"

Peetee shook his head slowly. "Thanks to your upgrades to my processor and communications systems, I was able to monitor several teams at once, yours among them. I heard your communications become frenzied and desperate, so I wished to intervene." He looked down and away, as if embarrassed. "Xel…gave me permission, not an order."

Alen just stared at him for a few seconds in disbelief, blinking several times to clear it away. "So…you _decided_ to help us, of your own free will?"

A moment's hesitation. "Yes."

One more heartbeat of shock passed before Alen's mouth spread into a face-splitting grin, genuine laughter coming from his throat. "Well, if I had any doubts about your loyalty before, I don't now." He slapped the droid's shoulder playfully, his head shaking. "Leave it to this crazy-ass family to produce a free-thinking robot. Well done, _vod_."

If he had eyelids, or eyes, for that matter, Alen was sure Tee would've blinked. "Thank you," he replied, voice relaxed.

_Wait…relaxed?_ Alen rubbed his face, scrunching his eyes up tight. _Must've hit my head harder than I thought if I can pick up emotions in a monotone voice._ Sure enough, though, there _were_ tonal shifts in Peetee's vocabulator. Very minor, but still there. He shook his head again, smiling slightly as he turned back to his strike team. _Well done, Xel._ _Well done._

…

Present

The Kandosii'tal

Alen blinked once more, returning his focus to a mind-numbed Xel and frowning in concentration. "Hey Xel."

"Hm?" the other boy asked without looking up.

"You seen Maila recently?"

The Mando's hands stopped moving.

"'Cause…I dunno about you, but I don't think she takes loss well, and since Linn was the one taking care of her—"

Xel stood suddenly, his blank mask slipping for the first time as guilt flowed unhindered over their bond. "I need to go," he said flatly, marching toward the exit. He paused in the doorway and looked over his shoulder. "Thank you for reminding me."

He was gone before Alen could say, "You're welcome." The Jedi was sure he felt his sentiments.

…

10 minutes later

"Maila Yar?"

The white-clad medic nodded toward a storage room in response, ushering Xel inside but staying out.

The armored Mando halted in the middle of the room, letting his eyes close and stretching out with the Force. He found Maila seconds later, curled up next to a crate and twisting a rope into several dozen small knots, forming an intricate pattern of curls and twists.

"Another flower?" he asked quietly, his boots clicking noisily on the tiled floor as he came to a halt, hands on his belt.

Her head shook, not even sparing him a glance, her complete focus on the rope as she put an end of cable through a small loop and pulled it through. Xel approached slowly and sat next to her, staring intently at the rope as if trying to guess its eventual shape. Given how her last ones had turned out, he had a feeling it would be spectacular.

"So…the funeral was today."

Maila's hands hesitated for a moment before working again.

He was silent a while. "I didn't take it well."

The red woman snorted in mock disbelief, arching an eyebrow at him though her eyes were still locked on the rope.

"I…she liked me, I think." He chuckled mirthlessly. "Scratch that, I _know_."

Maila stopped working and looked at him for the first time, giving him a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk, mouthing, "Who wouldn't?"

He gave her a sarcastic look and a tilt of the head before rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Me, for one."

A small giggle escaped her throat, one hand leaving the cable to rub his arm. "Of course not," she mouthed. "You haven't for as long as I've known you."

"Almost," he corrected, knowing exactly the linchpin that caused his shift to self-loathing.

Maila stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head and looking down. She looked back up at him a moment later with a small smile. "It's nice to be able to talk with someone." She shrugged. "So to speak."

"Well, most of these _auretiise_ haven't had the fine art of lip-reading drummed into them since birth. On the battlefield, you can't hear worth _osik_ anyway, so you gotta be able to."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "How does that work with Mandos, though? I mean, you're always wearing helmets."

"In which case you have helmet-to-helmet comlinks and external noise dampeners." He gently took the rope from her hands, cocking his head and reaching down to gingerly fix a knot that had come loose. He handed it back to her, and she smiled and nodded her thanks.

"Funny how everything you do has practical purpose, not just for aesthetics."

"Not really. That's my culture."

She shrugged. "True. But don't you think some days that…maybe you could slow down? Just…enjoy the moment?" Her eyes locked onto his, though the darker blue were locked on the ground. She tipped his head up to read her lips. "Or a night?"

He stared into her eyes, searching from one to the other several times as his jaw tightened. "No." He turned away, absently fingering the cloak that had fallen over the front of his left arm. "I feel…numb. Like I'm not supposed to feel anything anymore. But I do, and it's not what I want to feel, but…it's _necessary_." He'd hissed the last word out with force and clear loathing, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as her.

She tipped his head up again, leaning closer and searching his face, concern written all over hers. Her face drew even closer, inches from his, and the breath caught in his throat at the lack of distance between them until she turned her head and put her lips next to his.

"Liar," a nearly inaudible whisper said.

Xel blinked hard, his eyes going wide for twofold reasons. One: she was accusing him of lying…which he had tried _really_ hard not to do to her, and two: she had just…

He looked her in the eyes, mouth halfway open. "You just…you just spoke."

Maila smiled sheepishly, nodding slightly and keeping her face just six inches from his. "I can whisper now," she said in the mentioned volume. "Sometimes," she added, one hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "My point—is that you're not just angry. Trust me—" she tapped her forehead, "—I can tell. You're hurting, and hurting badly. Linn was your friend—_our_ friend."

He sent her a look. "So?"

She gave him a look that seemed to pierce right through him, then sighed and shook her head in reprimand, eyes closed. "Xel, for everything you try to do to limit your pain—dulling your emotions, distancing yourself from others, keeping a cold, professional façade—you have the capacity to feel…_far_ more than anyone I've seen outside of Zeltros. That's why you can't—or at least _shouldn't_—restrain your emotions. You think you need them for fuel, to keep yourself going 'til the end." Her head shook gently, tossing her raven hair about her shoulders. "Did it ever occur to you that if you need such instability to drive yourself toward your goal, maybe the goal is wrong?"

Xel blinked hard, staring at her with furrowed eyebrows and a frown. "Yes. I know it is. And I don't care."

Maila leaned in again, closing the distance between their faces, any trace of mirth completely gone.

"Liar."

She let the word roll smoothly off her tongue, letting it permeate the still, stale ship air as they stared at each other. Xel couldn't explain it, but he felt a sudden need to just go limp and fall into her arms, the exhaustion of several days of no sleep pulling at his eyelids…

His eyes snapped wide open and locked onto hers. "You…you're projecting your emotions onto me, aren't you?"

The sharp intake of breath and widening of her eyes told him yes.

Xel couldn't really nail down how that made him feel, and it showed in his blank, openmouthed expression. On the one hand, empathic projection was effectively a form of mental manipulation—which was _not_ acceptable—but on the other hand, this was _Maila_ we're talking about. He stopped his train of thought to gather more data for a decision, noting the details in the moment. Her face close to his, her hands on him—one on his arm, the other his neck. The way her hair glided over the skin of her shoulders exposed by her white hospital gown. The concerned frown adorning her features. The ice-blue eyes staring into his with laser intensity.

And the way they flickered down toward the bottom half of his face.

That one took a few seconds to sink in, as did the fluctuation of current in her emotions, which were, admittedly, about as all-over-the-place as his. One particularly intense one rose to the fore, and before he could put a name to it, _it_ happened.

Dark blue eyes went as wide as saucers while ice-blue eyes closed in enjoyment. _So soft,_ Xel thought in a daze, eyes blinking rapidly several times before he realized what was happening and gently pushed her back. Her lips left his with a quiet smack as she stared at him in surprise and a little hurt.

"Mail," he rasped, "I—I can't. With you—with everything that happened—"

His gloved fingers traced her throat gingerly, and to his surprise, she shivered—and pressed into his hand even more.

"Maila," he whispered. "What happened to you—"

"Has nothing to do with you," she interrupted at the same volume. The red woman lightly guided his hand onto her cheek and pressed her face against it, eyes fluttering closed. They opened halfway a second later, looking up into his. "This is my choice."

He just stared at her for a while, eyes searching hers and sixth sense probing her mind and emotions for any signs of doubt. There were none.

So he leaned forward and closed the distance. Once, twice, three times he returned; each time lasting longer until their lips stayed pressed against each other for a full ten seconds, parting slightly to deepen the kiss as Maila's left hand tangled in his hair and Xel's right moved from her cheek to the back of her neck. A small hum of enjoyment left her lips as they broke away for air, panting slightly. Xel pressed his forehead against hers, looking down until he caught his breath, then locking onto her gorgeous eyes.

"Can you…leave the medical wing?"

Amusement danced in those eyes, such a welcome sight after _everything_ that had happened to them both. "They only keep me here because I let them." The smile left. "And I don't have anywhere else."

It was relatively awkward and unusual, but Xel felt the twitch of a true smile curve his lips, the ones that had just a few moments ago been pressed against the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He leaned in and whispered throatily, "You do tonight."

Maila shivered slightly again, her arms looping around his torso and pressing herself against him. "I'll follow your lead, Xel."

…

He nodded slowly, rising to his feet with her and getting a small surprised shriek when he quite literally swept her off her feet. She giggled in his arms, looping hers around his neck and keeping her head pressed against his armored shoulder. To his surprise, she didn't seem at all uncomfortable, either as he carried her through the entrance of the medical bay, his fierce eyes daring any of the rebels to stop him, or as he boarded the entrance ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_. She wasn't uncomfortable as he used the Force to remove her gown without looking and handed her some of her old clothes, or as he disassembled his armor, hanging the shoulder cloak neatly on a hook in his room.

She wasn't uncomfortable as her lips met his again and again with months of separation and frustration and need, or as his mouth traced a pattern of kisses down her neck and curves, then back up to hers as his hands looped around her midsection. She wasn't uncomfortable when he removed his shirt and gently pulled her atop him, her head tucked under his chin as his hands stroked her hair and gently traced a pattern down the skin exposed by her backless blouse, her own hand drawing circles on his bare chest. The resounding _thump-thump_ of his heart was the strongest and most comforting sound she'd heard in months, if not years, and it would take the end of the galaxy to pull her out of his arms…maybe not even then.

A whispered phrase filled the still air of the captain's cabin as Maila nuzzled his shoulder and snuggled closer, one leg hooking around his, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Thank you."

In her half-conscious state, it took Maila a few seconds to realize she hadn't been the one to say it.

…

4 hours later

Xel barely restrained a shriek as he shot bolt upright in bed, body drenched in sweat, every sense trained on his darkened environment, eyes narrowing as both fists clenched painfully. He nearly emitted a Force Push on instinct when a gentle touch fell on his right arm, instead his head turning to face the appendage and watch as a red hand traced its way down his taut, defined forearm and drifted to his hand, slowly causing it to relax. His fingers uncurled and hand pivoted to lace them through hers, his eyes locking onto Maila's and staying there as she gently pulled him back to the pillows. She leaned over, pressing her hand into his chest, right over his heart, and waiting for it to slow as he breathed heavily for a few minutes.

His hand covered hers, slowly bringing it up to his lips as he turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her slim body. Maila gladly pressed herself into his secure frame, holding him close and smiling into his shoulder as she felt the tension leave his body with a sigh. He drew away from her to kiss her his thanks before once again holding her close. A mental shield blocked his emotions a moment later as his smile faded completely. No amount of emotional manipulation could wipe _that_ nightmare from his mind.

Black void. Stars. Red. Green. Slate gray. Drab brown. Polished black. Breathing. Death.

It was like nothing he'd ever experienced—and he never wanted to experience it again. He would ask Alen about this, in vague terms, and probably the holocrons too. He needed answers, because if what he'd just seen was what he thought it was, and it came true…

He almost shook his head before realizing he was cuddled up against Maila. It was too terrible to even _think_ about…but if it _did_ happen…it would happen soon. That much he knew.

…

The Executor, Kuat Shipyards

Pale blue eyes snapped open inside a hyperbaric chamber, their owner letting his badly burned lips part slightly before turning upward in a malevolent smirk as his uncanny Force connection verified what he thought he'd felt. _Injured…but not physically. You are afraid, Xel Caden…and you _should_ be._

Darth Vader reached to his right and pulled a datapad off a nearby table, tapping out a message to one of his commanders. _I believe it's high time we reactivate the droid factories on Hypori._

* * *

AN: Here we are, rapidly approaching the end of season 2. I really hope you've enjoyed the ride so far. The next two to three chapters will count as the season finale, with the next chapter kicking off the climax with a bang. Expect relentless action, plot lines being tied up, and a confrontation worthy of song, if I may say so myself.

Please rate and review (flames will be Batglared into a special corner of _haran_)

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: Conflicts rise to a fever pitch between the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire as the former executes a surprise attack on Imperial forces controlling the droid production world of Hypori. Meanwhile, Xel's vision leads him to question his mission even as he and his crew are deployed in the initial space battle.


	37. The Battle over Hypori

This season on _Kandosii'tal_…

After Telia Li-am's death at the hand of Darth Vader's as-yet unknown apprentice, the twins enlisted their help, and that of Iola Voss, with the Rebel Alliance as special consultants by Commander Hile Tobin. Their first assignment took them to the arid world of Lannik, where they met Eran Riilos and his team of three: Linn Riilos, quartermaster and medic; Goros Ijul, demolitions expert; and Treyvan En, technology and slicing. Together with several teams of rebel commandos, they managed to break the team out of an Imperial prison, fighting past the Mandalorian warden, Jes Tenau, and escaping the prison's self-destruct by seconds.

The next month was spent reconnoitering the Imperial-controlled world and dozens of research and development facilities requisitioned under Operation Deathmarch, their last mission occurring on the day of a rebel invasion and taking them to an Imperial Purge Trooper factory. After a protracted battle with six of these machines, Xel, who used both his lightsaber and his mother's, and Alen were victorious, destroying the factory and dozens of the prototypes with the help of the _Ghost_ and its crew. While Xel recovered from injuries sustained during the battle, he and the crew of the _Kandosii'tal_, now unofficially including Eran and his team, grew closer to the crew of the _Ghost_, who consisted of Kanan Jarrus, a human Jedi Knight; Hera Syndulla, a Twi'lek ace pilot; Chopper, a foul-tempered astromech droid; Garrazeb "Zeb" Orellios, a former member of the Lasan Honor Guard; Sabine Wren, a former trainee in Mandalore's Imperial academy; and Ezra Bridger, a Jedi Padawan from the streets of Lothal.

Xel also crafted a proper body for PT-37, a Purge Trooper he defeated on Lannik who turned sides when a logic glitch in his processor determined Xel to be potentially more powerful than the Empire itself. The months that followed Operation Deathmarch were filled with relentless combat and sabotage missions from one corner of the Outer Rim to the other, eventually taking them to the ice world of Ilum. Here, the crews of the _Kandosii'tal_ and _Ghost_ were assigned to sabotage an Imperial mining facility built to hoard Ilum lightsaber crystals, as well as eliminate the key Imperial officer tasked with overseeing the operation. Xel came to find out the hard way that this officer was in actuality the Inquisitor, a sadistic Sith whose purpose on the planet, given by Darth Vader, was to lure the Mando into a trap and execute him.

Their battle resulted in the severing of Treyvan En's leg and considerable blunt injuries on both duelists, the majority of them on Xel. When the Inquisitor was about to fulfill his mission, however, Alen intervened and helped his brother overpower the Sith long enough to make their escape with the help of the _Ghost_. Following his failure, the Inquisitor discovered from Darth Vader himself that he was never meant to kill Xel, but to gauge his abilities and determine his viability as an apprentice. Since Xel survived the battle and even managed to turn the tables on his attacker, Vader assigned the Inquisitor to target one of his loved ones through a proxy.

This led Xel to leave the Rebellion for some time, traveling to Nar Shaddaa when he received a message from Maila Yar, who suddenly had a gigantic bounty on her head, to be paid out upon the delivering of her corpse to the Empire. After a brief investigation when she disappeared, Xel met with Jes Tenau, her kidnapper, and learned certain details about her captivity that set his blood on fire and nearly sent him into a murderous rage. Realizing the meeting was a trap, however, he escaped with the help of Sabine Wren, who had stowed away on his ship along with PT-37, Alen, Linn Riilos, and Ezra Bridger. Together they stormed Tenau's fortress on Nar Shaddaa and fought their way to Maila, who was virtually catatonic by the time Xel found her.

After the Mando was captured by Tenau with the help of a Togruta Imperial Guard, he and Maila were taken to a hangar to be shipped off-world, where their prisoner train was ambushed by Alen and the rest of his backup. A long duel between Alen and Tenau ensued when the latter dragged Maila away from the rest in the chaos, ending with Tenau's decapitation and the girl's rescue. Within the next week, Maila underwent considerable physical and psychological therapy, but was still unable to speak by the time they returned to Ilum and set up shop. Recon operations on the ice world brought Xel into knowledge of an Imperial plasma bridge set up to infiltrate Rebellion-occupied territory.

The bridge's control center was taken by the rebels with the help of the _Kandosii'tal_'s crew and several dozen rebel commandos. On the way to transfer the control center to the Rebellion's side, however, some of the captured Imperials detonated explosives that destabilized the bridge's transmitters and killed dozens, sending many more into a massive drop off the side of a mountain, Xel and Linn Riilos included. He managed to save her by cushioning his fall with a combination of his body and a Force Shield more powerful than anything he'd ever conjured. After regaining consciousness, the pair was forced to flee from roving snowtroopers, who chased them across the icy landscape until they were backed into a corner.

Despite the close proximity of Alen, Kanan, and Zeb, who were searching for them, Linn was hit by a stray blaster shot and mortally wounded while Xel tried to cover her escape. As she died in his arms, the red-headed girl kissed him, revealing the considerable affection she'd been hiding for the months they'd known each other. Mad with grief, Xel unleashed a considerable amount of fury on the dozen-plus snowtroopers who'd been attacking them, brutally and painfully disassembling each one with a combination of his lightsabers and the Force. Alen found and attempted to comfort him only for his brother to lock himself down again after telling Eran what happened.

The Alliance's forces on Ilum were then decimated by relentless Imperial assaults, PT-37 showing a great amount of autonomy in saving Alen and his team from death by an Imperial ambush. Eventually, the rebels pulled out of the Ilum campaign and spent the next few days licking their wounds, Xel and the others mourning the loss of Linn, though the Mando refused to allow himself to feel more than a twinge of guilt, building up all strong emotions for his inevitable confrontation with Darth Vader. During this period, however, he went to visit Maila in the _Makrin Star's_ medical center, where she used her species' empathic abilities to gauge and affect his emotions, attempting to relieve some of the unnecessary pressure he put on himself.

After learning she recovered some of her voice and a series of heated kisses, Xel took Maila from the med bay to his ship, the pair content to sleep in each other's arms as their once-enjoyed closeness was reestablished. Their euphoric moment was only disrupted when Xel jolted awake in the middle of the night, sweating heavily in a near-panic. The emotional effects of his troubled dreams, which he suspected were not dreams at all, were sensed from across the galaxy by Darth Vader, who knew as well as Xel that their confrontation was now fast-approaching. As a result, he tasked a portion of the Imperial Fleet to reactivate the droid factories on Hypori, presumably to resume production of the Purge Trooper program.

Now, one month later, the Rebellion has gotten wind of Imperial operations there, and has sent the largest gathering of ships in its history to engage in the most devastating space battle in the war thus far…

…

Hypori

1 month BBY

The golden light of Hypori's sun lit up the cold void of space, the planet below its rays spinning on inexorably as one edge of its shadowed side flickered with the occasional pinprick of artificial light. Rounding this corner of the shadow side would reveal at a glance a massive increase in light, which, once one's eyes adjusted, would resolve into hundreds of distinctive metal shapes. If the vacuum of space allowed any sound, however, there would be too much noise to decipher much of anything. At least, not for the first few seconds.

A newly arrived entity, however, an MC80 _Liberty_-type Star Cruiser, coasted soundlessly over the atmosphere of the planet below, moving in a straight line through space as dozens of side hatches opened, releasing smaller ships into the open void. All headed for the source of the disturbances before two more dropped out of hyperspace behind the cruiser. One, a gray Kuat Heavy Striker, was escorted by a blue-striped Incom X-Wing, its S-foils contracted to allow for maximum speed as they streaked by the _Makrin Star_. Their engines brought them over the surface of the kilometer-long vessel as they flared with thrust, both rolling to the left and arcing down relative to the nose of the _Star_.

Right into the biggest firefight the pilots had ever seen.

Star Destroyers and Mon Calamari Star Cruisers pounded each other with weapons that cracked the empty void in bursts of green and red plasma. TIE Fighters and A, X, and Y-Wings gyrated in deadly dances at high speeds, their attack vectors sometimes taking them off-course into a passing capital ship, where crash-and-burn was the order of the day. Into this mess the two ships waded, the _Kandosii'tal_ and the _Telia_, spinning around plasma and explosions and ramming ships. A _Venator_-class Star Destroyer bombarded a _Nebulon_-class frigate with proton torpedoes, the now-unshielded vessel cracking in half just as the two fighters streaked through the flame-filled gap.

A squadron of TIE Fighters arced toward them and engaged, only headed off when a Corellian Corvette flew in and opened fire, all guns blazing, as was the style of its creators. The _Kandosii'tal_ shimmied sideways around passing flotsam as the X-Wing on its tail followed suit, throttle decreasing as they weaved through a debris field from an obliterated Star Destroyer, then increasing once clear. They beelined for a ship in the distance, forming up on each other's wings as their course set in stone.

…

The Kandosii'tal, Hypori

"Tee, you have missile controls."

"Yes, sir," the droid answered in its usual monotone, though this statement held an element of excitement to it.

"Do we have a lock on that Destroyer?"

"That's an affirmative," Alen's voice said over the comlink. "Two formations of rebel fighters are moving to back us up."

Xel gave a feral grin. "Now where's the fun in that?"

"Fun?"

"Yes, for instance, counting the number of TIEs we can vape in the space of an hour." Even as he finished his sentence, Xel could see multiple X and Y-Wings arcing to join them in their approach. He mock sighed. "Guess we'll just have to share the glory."

"That's assuming you get any," another voice laughed. "Red Three, reporting for duty. We'll keep those TIEs off you and the Golds."

"Roger that," Alen answered. "Red group, set S-foils in attack position. All Y-Wing bombers, form up behind the Reds and in front of us. We'll take care of the rest."

Xel smirked malevolently and tightened his hold on the controls. "_Oya, vode_."

…

1 month earlier

The Kandosii'tal, Makrin Star

A pair of red lips gently traced their way over a set of firm pectorals, their owner chuckling lightly as his left hand glided over the woman's back. The soft contacts and caresses were mirrored by the softness of the sheets covering the pair as they slowly began to wake. When her lips went to his neck, he sighed gently and pulled her up by the arms, lips meeting in a soft embrace a second later before they pulled apart. His right hand stroked through her soft blue-black hair repeatedly, lips pressing to her forehead briefly before she nestled her head on his shoulder. He kept stroking her hair, smiling slightly.

"Did you sleep well?"

He felt her nod.

"Good." His arms went around her torso, tucking her body close to his.

She looked up at him. "Feeling any better?" Her voice was still a whisper, but managed to be musical all the same, like the sound of a gentle breeze through tall grass.

Xel smiled sadly as he felt a familiar pang in his chest. "Somewhat."

Maila smiled back understandingly, pressing her lips to his cheek tenderly. "It's gonna take time," she breathed.

"I know." He drew her closer. "For both of us."

She stiffened a little. "What makes you think I need to?"

He chuckled mirthlessly. "Maila, don't kid me, or yourself. It may not have affected what we did last night, what we're doing now, but it did affect you. You can't even speak above a whisper, and that's not due to physical damage."

She lay still in his arms, expression tense and drawn.

He stroked her face with one hand. "We're both damaged, Mail—beyond repair, in some aspects—but we still have each other, and you have no idea how grateful I am for that."

She smiled into his hand. "I have a few."

He smiled back and kissed her again, slowly, their contact deepening after a few seconds.

"Hey Xel, I—oh, Force!"

The pair immediately broke contact and nearly leapt six feet in the air as their heads snapped to the open door.

Alen just stared at them openmouthed for a moment, his jaw completely slack and face going red as an exploding sun. "Uh…"

The couple still in bed also reddened, though only one was in embarrassment, the other in embarrassed rage.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Xel hissed through his teeth at his paralyzed brother.

That seemed to snap Alen out of his stupor, and he blinked rapidly, swallowing nervously at the look on his brother's face, then quickly turning around when he saw his bare chest. "Oh Force," he breathed, starting to hyperventilate. "You're committed now."

Caden just cocked his head in confusion. "What?"

"Uh," Maila let out nervously, reddening more. "We didn't exactly—"

"Don't—say—anymore," Alen interrupted with a hand blindly extended in their direction. "I'm gonna walk away now and try to pretend I never saw this."

"Nothing happened," Maila whispered as loudly as she could.

The Jedi blinked and looked back at them, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly as confusion filled his features. "But he's—and you're…ugh—" he rubbed his temples, "—I'm so confused."

"Why is this even an issue?" Xel asked, still lost at Alen's "committed" comment.

"'Cause I thought you and her…you know…"

One black eyebrow rose, the eyes beneath widening as he realized his brother's implication. "_Whoa_! Whoa-whoa-whoa, nothing happened here, okay? We just kinda…slept. In the most _literal_ way possible."

"Uh…uh huh," Alen said uncertainly, eyes still wide in horror. He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearing his throat. "In any case," he said, voice stabilizing, "as your older brother, I feel the need to remind you of the dangers should you decide to pursue a more…physical relationship."

"_Whoa_! That is _not_ happening!"

The Jedi lifted his hands. "But in case it does, just a friendly reminder." His ice-blue eyes met Maila's as he smiled dangerously. "And in case you ever even _think_ of breaking my brother's heart." His eyes turned fiery, and Maila gulped.

"Oi," Xel scolded, "really not necessary, _vod_."

Alen smiled. "I know. Just making sure." With that, he turned away and shut the door behind him.

Xel slowly turned to the woman at his side and shrugged, frowning when he noticed the slight pallor of her features. "Whoa, hey." He tipped her chin up to make her eyes meet his. Hey, what's wrong?"

She smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing. Your brother's just…he can be a little scary when he wants to."

Xel looked back at the door. "Hm. Guess it runs in the family." He pulled her close again. "Come here. I wasn't done cuddling."

She giggled tonelessly, pressing her face into his chest and humming her enjoyment as her hands laid against him.

…

1 week later

"A vision, you say?"

"I think so," Xel answered with a nod, looking over his shoulder to ensure he was alone with Master Orgus' holocron.

"Of what exactly?"

He rubbed the back of his head, slumping against a nearby crate. "Hard to tell, really. Even now, it's kinda shrouded in fog. I remember seeing a void, space. A yellow star. A world. I remember…fires and explosions of light. There was a battle, that much is clear."

"Okay? What else?"

"I remember…fear. Not just of myself or any one person, but thousands collectively. I remember…" His eyes scrunched up tight. "I remember hearing breathing…_his_ breathing. And after I heard it, I felt the terror of those thousands vanish bit by bit, massive sections of it disappearing instantly. But it wasn't like what happens when you stop feeling another's emotions, it was like…just a sudden absence, a vacuum of noise. Almost as if—"

"As if they were all killed at once," Orgus finished.

Xel looked down. "Yes. And it's all because of _him_. Sometime in the near future, Vader is going to be responsible for the deaths of thousands of rebel soldiers, presumably in a space battle. How that's going to happen is beyond me, since the Alliance has abstained completely from engaging the Empire in space thus far. They just don't have the firepower—or manpower."

"Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions. Visions from the Force are often shrouded in mystery and nuance. There may be a completely different message you're not seeing. You yourself said that you couldn't remember it clearly."

Xel groaned in frustration and lay back on the ground of the armory. "Why can't anything ever be simple? I mean, it's not like I'm asking for easy, just simple."

"The Force has its reasons. Sometimes, it only allows you to remember part of a vision on purpose, to see how your reaction may shape the course of history." The hologram smirked. "I remember an apprentice of mine whose foreseen destiny was very great, but turned out not to be at all what was expected. See, what appears to be the case often is only a front for the truth."

The Mando snorted. "I don't have the time or patience for all this mystical _osik_. Get to the point."

The Jedi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Just don't jump to conclusions. All I'm saying."

Xel thought for a few moments, staring off into the distance. "Fine."

…

Present

The Kandosii'tal, Hypori

The rebels' approach on the massive Star Destroyer was hampered almost immediately. Evidently, they had developed a new cannon that used particle-filled slugs to scatter flak shots of energy across open space at velocities that tore through shielding and armor. Under fire from one of these, two X-Wings and a Y-Wing went up in flames. Xel scowled at the loss, juking out of the way of another exploding shell as the rest of his escort did the same. A flick of the thumb sent a charge to his primary blaster cannons, arming them and targeting a squadron of incoming TIE Fighters.

Rapid firing plasma engulfed the first pair of TIEs to get in range as Xel weaved toward the passing wreckage of a defunct Mon Calamari Cruiser's bridge, the wreck blocking incoming plasma from the Star Destroyer. A TIE Bomber dropped in behind him and fired repeatedly before launching a single proton torpedo in his direction. _Osik_. Xel scowled and took the ship into a series of twirls, managing to put a large piece of debris between him and the missile as it closed to around 30 meters and causing it to detonate early. The bomber was not to be deterred, however, and as its accompanying TIE Fighters engaged the other rebels, Alen included, it stayed on Xel.

The Mando cut his engines suddenly, twitching the stick backward to juke his ship above the incoming bomber's trajectory. The ship streaked past, falling into a series of sluggish rolls as the pilot realized his mistake. Xel just smirked and opened fire, the shields of the bomber managing to repel the plasma for a few moments before his _very_ illegal rotary turbolaser cannon chewed it to molten shreds. Satisfied at his victory, he arced back over to the rest of his escort, noting with some anger that they had lost at least three more ships, all X-Wings.

"Damage assessment," Xel transmitted.

"Lost too many fighters in that engagement," Red Three answered,  
"but our bombers still have enough of a payload to nail that ImpStar."

"Good," the Mando growled, pushing his throttle to the limit. "Alen, Darklighter, form up on me. We're not getting ambushed like that again. Clear a path."

"Roger," Red Three answered.

Flanked by two X-Wings, the _Kandosii'tal_ charged toward a line of TIEs and opened fire with all cannons, giving Tee orders to open fire on the Star Destroyer's turbolaser arrays as soon as they were in range. The droid obeyed, and within seconds, they were engaged in a dozen-way battle between a capital ship, fighters, and one kick-ass Mandalorian vessel. Finally managing to knock out a good portion of a turret array and draw off most of the fighters, Xel opened a channel to the Y-Wings.

"Gold group, set up for your attack run!"

"Roger that, sir. Estimated time to target thirty seconds."

"Copy. Keep those _chakaare _focused on us!"

The _Kandosii'tal_ strafed the ImpStar several times with useless fire from his rotary turbolaser, its shields more than enough to defeat his attack. This was only white noise to cloud out its sensors, however, as that exact same spot was hammered by ion cannons from a dozen Y-Wings at once, that section of its shields flickering briefly before suffering a quick and violent death.

"All bombers," Gold lead said, "fire on my mark…_now_!"

And at once, twenty-four proton torpedoes streaked death toward the Star Destroyer's main hull, the chain reaction caused by their impacts cracking the ship in half and sending its burning wreckage drifting into Hypori's gravity well. A universal cheer came from the rebels, Xel included.

"Hooyah, _gar mir'shebse_!"

Alen gave a small chuckle while the rest of the pilots broke out into laughter.

"All right, people," Alen interrupted, "cut the chatter. We've done well, but there's a _lot_ more work to do." He paused a moment. "Transmission from Commander Tobin. The _Makrin Star_ is under heavy fire. We're needed to back them up. Without their support and field maintenance teams helping our boys, we could lose this battle before it has a chance to start.

"Roger that," Xel answered. "Ready when you are, _vod_."

And they streaked away toward the ship in question, over a dozen other rebel fighters in tow.

…

The Retribution, Hypori

The bridge doors of the Star Destroyer _Retribution_ slid open with a hydraulic hiss as an imposing, black-armored figure strode through with all the broad shoulders and poise that intimidated all others into submission. A small ripple of fear passed through the bridge crew before their previously built-up tolerance for his presence kicked in, and they all returned to their stations without a word. All except the captain, that is.

"Lord Vader," he managed evenly. "I regret to inform you that the rebels have already destroyed four of our capital ships and lost five of theirs. Despite this ratio, their bombing crews are growing bolder and more effective, especially those escorted by this ship."

He held a datapad in front of Vader's faceplate, and the Sith's eyes narrowed behind the helmet as a small smirk made its way to his face. _So he is here. Good._

"It is of little consequence," Vader dismissed. "Continue your assault as planned."

"Yes, Lord Vader," the captain answered with a bow.

The Darth's eyes closed as he grabbed hold of the Force and mentally shoved aside all the chaff and noise that comprised this space-bound battlefield, narrowing his focus to a laser point and bringing it to bear on a nexus of professional focus and cold fury. Satisfaction filled him as he sensed everything he was expecting and hoping for, little by little working his way into disrupting Xel's focus until he could feel everything around him. And then he laid himself bare, his presence a dark beacon in the middle of this cacophony.

_You want me, boy? Here I am._ _Come to me, child. Come and meet your destiny._

…

1 week earlier

The Kandosii'tal, Makrin Star

A blood-chilling roar filled the captain's quarters as metal, wood, and carbo-plas vibrated and shook throughout the room, the cause of the disturbance sitting bolt upright in bed, arms tensed to their max and fists clenched as hard as possible. Looking around quickly, he confirmed that his rage was misdirected and began the arduous process of calming himself before—

He detected movement at his side. _Damn._

"Xel?" a small whisper asked.

"Y-Yeah," he coughed out.

Maila sat up slowly, putting an arm around his shoulders. "They're not calming, are they?"

He briefly considered deflecting the question. "No."

Her voice increased in volume, still low but containing most of her former tone and timbre. "You need to tell your brother."

His head shook hands scrubbing his face. "I can't. He won't understand."

"You don't know until you try."

His teeth clenched. He knew. Oh yes, he _knew_. He'd _absolutely_ understand—and then he'd do everything in his power to ensure that Xel failed in his mission, and he couldn't allow that. He loved Alen, loved him like they'd known each other their whole lives, like his twin was an integral, irreplaceable part of him—which he was—but damn, the boy could be a self-righteous _chakaar_ sometimes. Okay, _most_ of the time. Which, at its core, was the problem. He would do everything in his power to convince Xel to stop once he knew about the visions, and the fact that they not only hadn't calmed down these past few weeks, but actually _intensified_, didn't help.

Things were no clearer in the big picture than that first night, but some things were more defined. Perhaps the most intensely defined quality of the visions was the sheer amount of _death_. It would be _devastating_ to the Rebellion, that much was certain. But Vader would be there, and if he could get to him…

"Xel," Maila said sharply, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You need to tell him."

"No," he said flatly. "You know what he'll say."

"And he'd be right."

Xel scowled. "You too?" he asked, tone laced with betrayal. "You should understand _exactly _what I'm going through…more than most."

She blinked as her features hardened and eyes went cold.

He sighed hard. "I'm sorry. That…that came out wrong. No," he said with a shake of the head. "That _was_ wrong."

"Yes," she whispered, "it was." Her arms wrapped around him more tightly, her face nuzzling his neck. "When are you going to live?"

Xel blinked hard and turned toward her. "What?"

She drew back with a sigh. "You've been driving yourself toward this one goal for nearly a year, relentlessly, without barely a pause or rest. You're breathing, yes, and your heart is beating…but you're not living. This—" she put a hand on his cheek, forcing him to meet her eyes, "—this isn't living. And I can't…" She choked. "I can't watch you make my mistakes."

He blinked rapidly. "What?" he breathed in shock.

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Before Tenau…you know…I was always focused on the job, on maintaining my business and image. I was so focused that I didn't realize there was a traitor in my ranks." She cast him a regretful look. "We both paid the price for that. And then I ignored the rational side of my head that was telling me to get the hell off Nar Shaddaa after the Maltis incident, and Tenau found me, all because I thought I knew what I wanted, and refused to do anything but pursue it."

His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean, you 'thought' you knew?"

Maila smiled sadly. "It had become routine. Boring, even. But I stayed with it, because it was familiar, easy. Easier than…" Her voice trailed off as she looked away.

He tipped her head back up. "Easier than what?"

She gulped slightly. "You."

Xel's mind stalled briefly, a slow, hard blink snapping him out of it as his jaw dropped. "You mean…"

She nodded slowly. "When you left to find your mother…I considered going with you. There was really nothing left for me on Nar Shaddaa. After Yetha, I thought I could move on in the business, but…it stagnated. My heart wasn't in it anymore. Sure, I was the best damn information broker on the planet, but…" she shrugged, "it wasn't enough. Not anymore."

"Mail," he whispered, "I—I never knew."

The Zeltron smiled sadly, pressing her face into his shoulder. "Of course not. I never told you, and you're far too polite to read my mind." She nuzzled closer to his chest, relishing the primal comfort that came from his heat. "I never wanted you to leave, though. Even from the first day, I could feel a connection between us, emotionally as well as physically."

Xel smiled wryly. "Wish I could say the same, but…I've never really been one for warm fuzzies."

Maila's smile vanished.

"What?"

Her finger traced the line of his jaw, all the way up to his temple, whereupon she pressed her lips to his, pulling away a brief moment later and staring into his eyes. "Nothing," she said after a while, tucking her head under his chin.

Xel pursed his lips, but said nothing, only wrapping his arms around her torso and holding her closer against him. He didn't know when he drifted off, but the moment it happened, he was aware of a foreign presence in his mind and immediately feelings of dread overtook him. They were rapidly and consciously replaced with feelings of anger.

_"What the hell do you want?" _he growled mentally.

A small, amused snort answered him. _"Save your anger, child. You will need it. Soon." "How soon?"_

_ "Soon enough for me to tell you to settle your affairs and say goodbye to all you love. You will suffer more pain than you ever imagined possible, but you will not perish. No, you will be broken to be remade in the image of the Sith. You will be mine, child, one way or another."_

Xel's mocking laughter flowed over the link. _"I don't make it a habit to become the property of a dead man, but in the spirit of keeping things fair, I'll say 'we'll see about that.'"_

_ "So we will."_

Dark blue eyes snapped open the moment the last word reached his mind, drifting over to Xel's bedside chrono to see it was nearly eight hours later.

…

5 days later

The Kandosii'tal

While Maila bustled around the _Kandosii'tal's_ crew quarters, the Zeltron employing the food synthesizer to produce something for the both of them, he stared at a far wall intently, two fingers pressed against his temple.

"Xel, your tension is palpable, even without my abilities." Maila sat next to him, two plates landing on the table between them. "What's wrong?"

Caden blinked slowly. "I'm going to send you away."

Ice-blue eyes widened in shock, then in fury. "What?" she hissed.

His eyes softened and turned to hers, a concerned frown on his face. "It's not what you think. I'm not…I'm not changing us, or ending us." He took her hands in his and smiled slightly. "These past few weeks have been…some of the best I've had in a long, long time." His smile vanished. "But the fact is, I can't get these damned visions out of my head. I know something's coming, something horrible, and no matter how many times I try and see something good that could come out of it, I just…_can't_ see a way where we end up on top."

"So you're sending me away."

To her surprise, he smiled widely. "Yes. To family."

She blinked. "Family?"

He nodded slowly. "_My_ family."

"But I thought—wait, you mean—"

"Mandalore."

Her eyes resembled saucers.

"I'm sending you to Mandalore. I'll call my uncle ahead of time, let him know he's gonna have company. You'll get to meet the whole clan, family friends…it'll be great. Just the vacation you need."

Her eyes narrowed. "And you're not coming with me. Not even for the drop-off."

His head shook. "No. I can't afford to be away from here for that long. I'll send you with Iola on the T-6." He saw her fright clear as day and chuckled lightly. "Mail, there's nothin' to worry about, trust me. They'll love you." Xel smiled reassuringly, holding her hands firmly until she nodded. He grinned. "Excellent. Iola should have the ship fueled and ready by now. You'll leave whenever you're ready."

Her eyes widened. "Wait…you were going to do this either way, weren't you? With or without my permission?"

His expression darkened. "Sometimes…we don't know what's best for us. Sometimes it takes a concerned third party to see the truth." His thumb stroked her hand. "And I'm tired of watching you get hurt."

Her lower lip vanished inside her mouth as she assessed him with critical eyes. "I want to be mad at you," she admitted finally.

He arched an eyebrow, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "But?"

Maila sighed in resignation, shaking her head. "I can't help but feel that it's sweet."

Xel chuckled and laid one on her before she could react, rising from the table and moving toward the armory. "Good," he called. "S'what I was goin' for." When he emerged fully-armored a few minutes later, Maila looked him over with unabashed admiration, her eyes roaming his frame with abandon. His head tilted to the side, a confused smirk coming to his face. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," she said sweetly, a diversionary smile on her face, eyes still wandering. Her smile dampened as a frown replaced it, her eyes looking down and narrowing as they darkened.

"What?" he asked again in a far more serious tone.

She looked at him, gaze piercing and intense. "Maybe you should take your own advice, Xel. Because you're right. Sometimes we _don't_ know what's best for us." Maila rose and took his gloved hands. "Come with me," she pleaded in a low voice. "You don't owe the rebels anything. You've given your all."

He gently pulled his hands away. "You _know_ that's not what this is about."

"I know!" she cried. "And that makes it even worse."

He took a step back, eyes narrowing. "You too?" he asked in a dangerously low tone.

Her eyes widened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Xel's head shook slowly. "All this time, you've claimed to support me, to believe in me, yet now, when it really counts, when it _really_ matters, you won't get behind me. Why?!"

"Because it's _insane_!" She grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Snap out of this damned rage, Xel, and face facts! Darth Vader is a _Sith Lord_. He's lived for decades longer than you, trained for decades longer, experienced far more in the way of battle…and he has slain…more Jedi than any fifty Mandalorians combined." Her voice lowered to a near-whisper. "He cannot be stopped. Not now. Not by you." Her face crumpled. "Maybe not ever."

Xel stared at her for a few moments, his initial feelings of betrayal ebbing into sympathy at her despairing expression. He raised a hand to her face, cringing when she flinched at his touch. "Maila…anything that lives…can die. Vader is no different from any bounty I've hunted in the past. Just tougher…and scarier." He cupped her face with his gloved hand, smiling slightly as she leaned into it the same as on Ilum. "I _can_ beat him…and even if I can't, I'm not going anywhere. He wants me alive, that much is certain, and if I'm alive…I can come back to you."

Maila deflated completely, her body shaking as she leaned into him. "Then come back," she choked out, hands fisting in his bodysuit. "Please come back."

His lips pressed to the top of her head. "I will. I promise."

…

Present

The Kandosii'tal

_"Come and meet your destiny."_

Xel's eyes snapped wide open as the sentence passed through his mind, features twisting into a snarl behind his helmet as his hands tightened around the control yoke.

"Xel?" Alen asked over their comlink. "Xel, what happened? Xel!"

"He's here," Caden growled, hands twitching as the _Kandosii'tal_ twisted away from an incoming TIE Fighter, turning about and vaporizing it a moment later.

"Xel," the Jedi began warningly, "don't even think about it. We're needed here, on the front, where our Force abilities can keep the tide of the battle in the Rebellion's favor. We _cannot_ afford to have you go off half-cocked."

The Mando huffed a humorless laugh. "You don't get it. It's not a matter of being half-cocked. He's here, and because he's here, the battle will _never_ be in the Rebellion's favor." His jaw clenched. "I've seen it."

"What are you talking about?"

Xel shook his head. "I don't have time for this." He charted a course in the direction of the tug in his head. "Without Vader, without the head of the snake, this fleet flounders and the Imperials are decimated. _With_ him, we _all_ die."

"You mean you—"

"Had a vision, yes. And I need to stop it."

"Xel, you don't understand." Alen sounded panicked. "Visions are never that clear-cut, there's something you're missing—"

"I love you, _vod_," he interrupted, hands twirling the _Kandosii'tal_ into a spiral that took him toward the _Retribution_, "but I can't let you stop me."

"Xel, no, don't—"

Static replaced his brother's voice until he turned the comlink off completely, every dreg of his focus on the battle between him and his target. His head shook as he observed the exploding and flaming ships all around him, noting the sudden turn against the rebels. _They're completely outmatched—but_ _I can save them. I _have_ to. For Alen and Eran and En and Linn, for Sabine and Ezra, Maila and Telia and Xander and _everyone _this monster has hurt. They deserve that much._ A twist of the control yoke brought the _Kandosii'tal_ into a spiral around a particle beam sent his way from an Imperial Dreadnaught, two proton torpedoes streaking toward the now-unshielded vessel and knocking out its primary sensor array.

Two Star Destroyers converged on his position from opposite sides, their slate-gray Vs forming a pincer as he spun several times, Peetee sending another duo of missiles toward the nearest hangar bays on each destroyer. Their active and running tractor beams pulled the explosive projectiles home, annihilating a large portion of their fighter force and forcing them to disengage, letting Xel through on his bee-line trajectory for the _Retribution_.

"Tee, get a lock on that ship and give me an approach vector. We're goin' in hot."

"Yes, sir," the droid answered, the mechanical fingers of its left hand flying over the navigational controls as its right handled missiles. "Course set."

"Roger." Xel's HUD lit up as Peetee's route flashed in his vision. A grim smile made its way to his face as he angled his ship in line with it, then punched the throttle up to max, a brief flicker from the Force warning him of the dozen incoming fighters. "Tee, take control of the rotary cannon and target the edges of that group, then aim two concussion missiles at its dead center. We'll fire in stages. Wait for my mark."

The droid nodded, hands hovering over the fire controls. The TIEs closed to just over a kilometer, not a word coming from Xel even as alarm klaxons started to sound when target locks were picked up on the ship's sensors. PT-37 gave his master a glance when they closed to half a kilometer and opened fire, over eighty green bolts of plasma streaking death toward the _Kandosii'tal_, the pilot not moving his stick an inch. Then suddenly, he came alive and snapped the ship into left roll.

"Now!" he roared, spurring Peetee into immediate action as the droid released twelve-round bursts of rotary plasma fire at the enemy's flanks.

The Imp pilots responded about as he'd expected, forming up in two lines and providing PT with the perfect clustered shot as he assigned four concussion missiles to various points in the formation within a half-second. The missiles fired by the second's end, exploding two more seconds later, the force of the blast knocking the _Kandosii _slightly toward the planet below as it streaked by. Xel brought the ship back up into the prescribed flight path, dodging fire from six different turbolaser cannons and closing on the _Retribution_ fast. He was out of the others' range in seconds, the Striker approaching a side hangar on the Star Destroyer just as fast and arming all weapons as he prioritized high-value targets.

A feral roar left Xel's throat as the _Kandosii'tal_ stormed into the hangar, red and green plasma mixing midair as anti-air cannons and the incredible firepower of the Mandalorian ship combined in a deadly crossfire. Explosions and the screams of Imperial pilots and stormtroopers resounded throughout the bay as target after target fell to Xel and Thirty-Seven's relentless assault. Within seconds, it was over, and the _Kandosii_ set down in a spot previously occupied by two TIE Fighters, its ramp descending with its pilot already on the gangplank.

"Protect the ship," he ordered firmly, voice dark and made even more threatening by the filter in his helmet, "at all costs." Xel popped a gas cartridge into Xander's Blackjack as he hefted the weapon. "I'll be back."

With an acknowledging nod from his robotic companion, Xel Caden broke into a run, making his way into the belly of the beast, toward the bridge and his destiny.

* * *

AN: Only two more chapters left for the season! It's been an incredible journey so far, and believe it or not, it still won't be over after this, or even the next, season, I think. Since I haven't even started writing season three, it's unclear as of yet when I'll begin releasing again—which to some of you will be upsetting—but I'll do my best to get it out as soon as possible. Considering I'm about to start my first year of college in a few months, I may or may not have adequate time to keep up my current release schedule, but working on this story is a great passion of mine, so we'll see.

The next two chapters will be released in sequence, one every three days from now. Stay tuned for the rest of the season finale!

Next chapter on_ Kandosii'tal_: As the final confrontation between Xel Caden and Darth Vader commences, Alen must face the repercussions of his brother's actions and make a choice between his ideals or his family. Will he be able to live with the consequences of either?

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith – Star Wars/Revenge of the Sith: start-1:15—recap, 1:15-3:10—fighters from hyperspace to "_Oya_,_ vode_", 3:10-4:45—approach on Star Destroyer to "Ready when you are…", 4:45-5:19—Vader on the bridge to "Come and meet your destiny", 5:19-end—


	38. Confrontation over Hypori

AN: Reviewer smh: _Kandosii'tal_ literally means "Indomitable Blood." Reread chapter one. I put Telia and Xander's conversation there for this exact reason: to avoid confusion.

Reviewer MODDEF, chapter 37: Possibly, probably not. Next season is gonna be a lot of filler punctuated by flashbacks that are important to the plotline. There will, however, be crossovers with major characters, since it'll still be during the time of the Rebellion, so…we'll see. That might've just given me some good ideas for how to fill the time. Thank you.

* * *

"Protect the ship," he ordered firmly, voice dark and made even more threatening by the filter in his helmet, "at all costs." Xel popped a gas cartridge into Xander's Blackjack as he hefted the weapon. "I'll be back."

With an acknowledging nod from his robotic companion, Xel Caden broke into a run, making his way into the belly of the beast, toward the bridge and his destiny.

…

The Telia, space over Hypori

1 month BBY

_This can't be happening._

No matter how many times he blinked or shook his head to clear out the noise, Alen couldn't believe his eyes. The moment—the _moment_ his brother had left the Rebels' defensive line, an entire platoon of Imperial Dreadnoughts jumped out of hyperspace and began hammering them with everything they had. The attack had been so sudden, so severe, that the Rebels' entire command structure had been thrown into disarray. Battle strategies were slow in coming, and not enough of their pilots were experienced enough to act with any kind of effective autonomy.

Alen himself was barely staying alive, weaving through one hailstorm of enemy fire after the next, the near misses too frequent to count. While most of his mind remained focused on just surviving, the rest of him was kilometers away, on a Star Destroyer that housed two incredibly powerful Force signatures. Green plasma barely missed the bow of his X-Wing as he brought it into a complicated spiral that put his attacker directly into his sights. A quad-burst of red plasma consumed the unshielded fighter as he swung around the explosion and opened fire on another group of TIEs.

"Attention all pilots," came Commander Tobin's voice over comms. "This is the _Makrin Star_, calling for any and all backup that can be provided. We've been engaged by two Imperial Dreadnoughts and are taking heavy fire. We cannot hold out, I repeat, we _cannot_ hold. Need immediate assistance."

Alen clicked his comlink on, lips pursed. "I hear you, Commander. On my way."

"Li-am?" His tone was clipped and sharp. "Where the _hell_ did your brother go, and why?"

The Jedi scowled and looked back at the imposing form of the _Retribution_, stretching out with the Force to feel a twisting whirlpool of rage and determination from an all-too-familiar source. "The idiot decided he knew better than to hold formation. Assigned his own side objective, claiming it's for the greater good of the Rebellion."

"And what the kriffing hell does that mean?"

Alen locked his ship's S-foils down for maximum speed as he arced toward the _Star_. "It means he's gone to cut the head off the snake. And he's going to fail." The reality of that statement hit him a second later. _If he fails…oh Force…_ Ice-blue eyes widened in horror as he cast another look toward the _Retribution_. In a desperate effort to prevent what he feared most, he reached out over their bond.

_"Xel, I know you can hear me. Please, brother…don't do this. You can't win. You _have_ to know that. And when he beats you…you'll be lost to me forever, one way or another. Please, _vod_. I can't lose you too."_

Only silence greeted him as he streaked across the explosion-cracked void of space. Suddenly, something brushed his consciousness, and he nearly winced when he felt the sheer force of it.

_"You won't."_

The statement was "spoken" in a low growl, undoubtedly his brother's voice…but at the same time nearly unrecognizable. As Alen stretched out to feel Xel in the Force, his mouth went completely dry. The darkness he'd sensed in his brother after that massacre on Ilum…it was back full-force—no, it was even stronger. In the midst of his rage and lethal fury, Alen could feel a singularity begin to form, malevolent, nefarious, and impossibly dark. The Jedi's eyes squeezed shut as his hands clenched around the controls of his fighter.

He heard the screams of Rebel soldiers being annihilated by powerful cannon blasts, felt one ship after the next blasted out of the sky. The explosions sent fiery visions through his mind's eye, every single casualty felt and seen in full color as it all began to overwhelm him. After about a minute, he realized—Vader had _planned_ for this. He had always seen this coming, known how Xel would respond. The Imperial reinforcements had been on standby from the start, until he could lure the Mandalorian away from the bulk of the fighting and into the relative safety of his waiting arms.

Instantly, the Jedi realized Vader had absolutely no intentions of killing Xel. With startling and horrifying clarity, every piece over the last year finally fell into place. He had always known something was amiss, ever since the confrontation on Obroa-skai, but he had never imagined just how deep this conspiracy had run. He had eliminated Alen from the equation from the start, before the duel had even commenced, then, by all accounts from Xel's recordings, he'd focused on the Mandalorian, holding back and gauging his skills, treating Telia as a mere annoyance.

Everything that had happened after, from the turning of their mother to her recapture, torture, and, eventually, death, had been designed to unhinge his younger brother, bit by bit. The attack by the Inquisitor, the kidnapping of Maila Yar, the Imperial overrun on Ilum…they were all connected, all manipulated by the Dark Lord in an attempt to corrupt his brother, to force him to embrace his darker nature more and more until it consumed him. He half-expected that Vader was connected, however indirectly, to the death of Linn Riilos as well.

With grudging respect, Alen had to admit that the Darth had played his cards _perfectly_. He had taken what little he knew of the Mando and his culture, and used that knowledge to slowly twist the good man Xel was into a cold, ruthless killer. And now, the noose was finally around his brother's neck, being tightened as the seconds ticked by. With a shuddering breath and sinking heart, Alen came to the conclusion that Vader had already won. Everything had gone _exactly_ according to plan. _Perfect sabacc_, he thought with a bitter snarl, hands once again clenching around his control stick. When something else brushed his thoughts, however, his eyes snapped wide open and a shuddering breath left his lungs.

Several rapid blinks later, he stretched out to the Force once again and let his mind drift away from the battle, hearing a quiet voice once again drift through his consciousness.

_"Perfect sabacc can still be beaten…"_

The voice was unfamiliar but somehow reassuring. _Where have I heard that before?_ Alen racked his brain for any memories of the incomplete statement, several seconds passing before it hit him. _It was something Xel said, when we were hunting for Mom._ The Mando had been teaching his older brother how to play—and cheat at—sabacc, claiming both to be useful skills for interacting with the galaxy's seedier side. _I remember now. He said…perfect sabacc can still be beaten…by an Idiot's Array._

Alen's eyes opened slowly, drifting across the battlefield as he realized he'd been flying—and fighting—on autopilot this whole time. His power reserves were starting to drop, and his torpedo tubes were running near dry. He couldn't keep this up forever, and the Imperials just kept coming while the Rebels' numbers continued to dwindle. His head shook slowly as his heart sunk. _We can't win this. We never could._ His gaze drifted to the _Retribution_, its massive frame seeming to mock him and the rest of the Rebellion as it watched from a distance.

_This game was rigged from the start._

With newfound clarity, he opened a channel to the _Makrin Star_. "Commander Tobin…pull your men out."

"What?!"

"Please," he pleaded quietly. "We can't win this. We never could. This entire engagement was a front. It was never about the factories."

"Jedi, what are you _talking_ about?"

"You need to evacuate, retreat, get as far away from here as you can. Please, Commander…trust me."

"…even if I believed you, Li-am, I can't just pull out. We'll be leaving half the Rebel Fleet behind, and without our support, they'll all die!"

"They'll die anyway!" he shouted back. "Do whatever it takes to convince them. The Rebellion cannot afford to lose you, or any of the men under your command. This battle is already lost; don't go down with a crashing ship. Please. The galaxy needs men like you to keep fighting. Martyrs can only do so much from beyond the grave."

The line was silent for a few moments. "I'll do what I can, but considering the resources we've committed to this assault, the other captains will be extremely hesitant to give up so easily."

"Thank you, Tobin."

"Wait…where are you going?"

Alen's jaw set. "It's going to kill everything in me," he began quietly, "every trace of the Jedi I was raised to be…but I'm leaving."

"_What_?"

"I can't support you anymore, Commander. There's something…_really_ idiotic I have to do." His jaw tightened with determination. "I'm not losing any more of my family."

Tobin's line was silent for a long while, a sigh coming over the link. "May the Force be with you, Alen."

"Thank you, Commander." His hands tightened around the controls as he brought his X-Wing into an approach vector on the _Retribution_. "I'm gonna need it."

…

The Retribution, hangar

PT-37 paced from one end of the _Kandosii'tal's_ gangplank to the other, almost impatiently fingering his rotary cannon's trigger, every sensor and receptor trained on his environment. Several minutes had passed since his master had left him to guard the ship, and every second he was gone felt like a year to the droid. Finally, eight standard minutes later, there was activity, but not the kind he was expecting. Didn't make it any less odious, though.

A low growling noise came from Tee's vocalizer as he double-checked the charge level on his cannon, then sprinted to a nearby terminal as fast as he was able. An interface tool built into his left arm was unsheathed and inserted into the computer, a worm program written by Alen making its way into the Imperials' security system. Several dozen root menus later, and he found the source of the power flux that had set his circuits on edge. If he'd had teeth, they would've been grinding together.

Evidently, there was a crew of gunners stationed about a quarter kilometer from his position, manning turbolasers aimed at this hangar's exit vector. Their orders? According to the transmission he picked up over the Destroyer's local frequency, to vaporize any ship attempting to leave via that docking bay. In addition, Xel's initial attack had only knocked out the primary tractor beam in this hangar; the auxiliaries were still in place. _Master,_ he thought with mild irritation, _I'm a guardian, not a cleanup droid._

Tapping a few keys to download the ship's schematics into his processor, Peetee keyed the blast doors of the hangar open and made for the tractor controls while wirelessly activating the _Kandosii'tal's_ automated defenses. It may not have been as good as having a live—or droid—host at the cannons, but if any Imperials tried any funny business, they'd have one hell of an explosive surprise. Spinning up his cannon to clear any potential jams, Tee made his way toward the exit at the fastest pace his powerful legs could carry him, death and destruction in his processor.

…

The Retribution, bridge approach

Two white-clad stormtroopers were hurled against a bulkhead by an invisible hand as a blue-armored figure strode down the halls of the _Retribution_ without once breaking his stride. The Force was his weapon, rage his fuel, vengeance his goal, as bright and hot as the golden sword on his shoulder. His empty fists tightened as he went through another blast door, stalking toward a door that led to a turbolift, its final destination the bridge. The moment Xel stepped through, he froze in his tracks.

_So cold…_

The descending lift came to a stop, the doors hissing open with an air of finality as a massive, black-armored form stepped off, standing just ten feet from the Mandalorian. Xel's fists and teeth clenched until it hurt as his eyes bore into Darth Vader's unyielding faceplate.

"Xel Caden," his unnatural voice boomed, "we meet again at last."

Xel just snarled. "Do you have…any idea how long I've waited for this? How long I've _dreamed_ of this?" His hands uncurled, fingers slowly stretching apart as his voice lowered to a growl. "Darth Vader, you stand accused of murder in unquantifiable numbers, either direct or indirect. Among your victims are Jeel, Linn Riilos, Telia Li-am, and Xander Caden. By Mandalorian law, the punishment for these crimes…is _death_." His right hand curled into a fist. "And I…will be its instrument."

Vader's head tilted ever-so-slightly. "Is that so?"

Without warning or further preamble, Xel leapt for Vader, right arm cocked back, not even bothering to draw a weapon. A split-second before his gloved fist impacted the Sith's helmet, he felt the wind knocked out of him as his body flew back at a massive speed, blowing through two blast doors before rolling to a stop as pain flooded his system. Calling on the Force, he suppressed the pain and climbed to his feet, his lightsaber falling into his hand and igniting as he charged the Dark Lord.

A bellowing roar came from his helmet's vocalizer as he leapt toward Vader again, blade falling like a Force-powered avalanche as he was once again yanked out of the air. This time, he was ready, and with his empty hand released a Force Blast into Vader's chest. The impact barely jolted him, but it was enough to break his grip and allow Xel's blade to fall. The hissing whine of one lightsaber meeting another filled the still air of the hallway as Vader held his attack back with one arm.

He shoved the boy back with his weight alone, not attacking or drawing back a single step. Xel yelled as he swung horizontally multiple times, the Darth parrying his blows as if they were mere annoyances and staying perfectly still save for his arms. Changing tactics, Xel leapt over him and slashed at his head, coming down the other side and making a cut for his back. Vader just shifted his saber to position four, then swung it up with Xel's blade caught on his, throwing the youth off-balance.

The Darth's first counterattack nearly took his leg off, skidding off his armor's thigh plate and sending him into a recovery roll. Still off-balance, Xel was unable to avoid the Force Push that sent him flying back another ten feet, triggering his jetpack and arcing back toward him before Vader deactivated his saber and extended both arms, a Force Wave blowing him through one door after the next until it ceased, and he skidded to a halt. Hissing in pain, Xel forced himself to his feet, took one good look at the approaching Vader, and then took off down a hallway, just fast enough to keep from getting attacked, but slow enough for the Sith to keep track of him.

Aches permeated every fiber of his being, but he drowned them in anger as he gathered every spark and fire that had accumulated over the long months, every dreg of it held and kept safe for this very moment. He would release it here and now, but not just yet. As his parents had always taught him, the key to fighting is patience. He had waited almost two years for this moment. He could wait a little longer.

…

The Retribution, gunnery station delta-five

Another sizzling corpse hit the floor along with a spent plasma gas pack as another was loaded into a heavy assault rifle. Heavy metal steps approached the primary control console of the turret array, a computer interface tool entering a port as a half-dozen worm programs spread throughout the system and their user utilized them to permanently cut power to that station via a local overload. Those guns weren't coming online any time soon. With a satisfied charge through his circuits, Thirty-Seven marched toward the exit door, plotting his course back to the hangar.

He stepped through the door and froze in his tracks, processor stalling briefly before reconciling the image with an account Xel had given him of a man in a black hood…with a lightsaber. Flanking this man were two electrostaff-toting riot stormtroopers, who entered the room with their commander as Peetee backpedaled and hefted his rifle, the rotary cannon on his back running near dry.

"Please, droid," the hooded figure said with a dismissive wave, "we both know your resistance will do little to deter me."

Tee's head lowered slightly. "Since when has that ever stopped me?"

"You? I wouldn't know. Your master, on the other hand, well…let's just say I can see that he programmed a bit of himself into you."

"_Ni cuyi Mando'ad_. There's no programming involved in _that_. And my _master_ gave me specific instructions regarding you." His rifle lowered slowly as he kept a wary optic on the silver-eyed figure, the weapon going to a magnetic port on his back.

The man arched an eyebrow. "And those would be?"

Tee internally keyed up a recording, and Xel's voice drifted out of his vocalizer. "If you _ever_ run into that _shabuir_, I don't want you to put two in his back. I want you to find a metal pole, preferably one that's thick and jagged at one end, and I want you to send his impaled body to _haran_ on it."

The man just stared at the droid for a moment before chuckling softly. "Well then. I suppose that means you won't surrender."

The droid's right fist clenched as his left hung at his hip. A long look was exchanged, the man's silver eyes narrowing before he motioned once with his right hand. The two riot troopers moved on Tee from opposite sides, the droid's left hand dipping slightly to draw a concealed blaster pistol and plug one twice in the chest with it. The thick riot armor kept him from dying, but not from having his rib cage crushed by a durasteel fist. The other trooper swung at Tee's back, the electrostaff missing his metal chassis by a thin margin as he dashed toward the fallen Imperial and appropriated his staff.

Tee blocked the next strike, then spun around the trooper and slammed his metallic elbow into his back, cracking his plastoid armor, then stabbing into that crack with his staff. The trooper shrieked incoherently for several seconds before falling over and slumping to the ground, Peetee picking up his weapon also while the hooded man rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Really, must I do _everything_ myself?"

With another sigh, he rolled his hood back, exposing a pale, bald head with pale white scars scattered across his features. The rest of his cloak dropped to the floor, revealing gray armor underneath and leaving his lightsaber fully exposed. The cylinder was unlike any lightsaber Tee had seen before, predominantly gray with black highlights in a clawed formation around the middle part of its hilt. It left his belt a second later, clutched in the right hand of its owner and pointed down and out, his arms at his sides.

With a brief processor refresh, Tee recognized the stance as one Darth Vader frequently employed to intimidate his enemies. Unfortunately for him, Tee had no fear, and possessed knowledge of every form known to the Jedi Order. Two electrostaves were ignited threateningly as Tee assumed a ready position.

"Phrik-plated body or not," Tee growled, "I was rebuilt to slay Force-users…just of a different kind."

Light and electricity met in a blinding flash as they charged.

…

The Retribution, command hangar approach

Blue and red met again and again as blazing arcs of deadly light clashed, the golden sparks thrown by their contact sending flashes of light across a half-destroyed hallway. The paneling on one wall had been almost completely demolished by stray lightsaber strikes, the marks still glowing from where their blades passed through. The other wall was missing several dozen metal tiles, torn from their places and thrown with the Force. The target of these attacks was breathing heavily, blade held aloft as he backpedaled, his body hunched over partway.

His opponent's audible breathing patterns hadn't shifted once since the beginning of the fight, Vader's hulking form advancing with slow, threatening steps. Another couple of heavy breaths were exhaled as Xel backed up toward the blast door leading to Vader's command hangar, then stopped and exhaled slowly, focusing all his Force energy into a single leap. He lunged for Vader, the tip of his blade inches from the Dark Lord's chest when an invisible fist slammed into his. His armored body went through the blast door at his back, ricocheting off the ground several times before skidding to a stop.

His aching body pushed itself upright as he looked up to see Darth Vader striding through the opening, saber at his side as he came to a stop just ten feet inside the room, a good fifty feet from the Mando. Xel took a moment to concentrate, feeling something tug at his head from Vader's direction and blocking it out. He snarled and charged at the Dark Lord, his blade held high in a feint until he closed to around ten feet. Instead, he threw the saber, forcing his opponent to guard left while his left hand flashed with his father's knife, stabbing toward his left side.

Vader's left hand crossed over and caught his wrist, but Xel leapt upward and delivered a flying roundhouse to his head. The Dark Lord was dazed enough to release his hand, but made a horizontal slash for the boy all the same. Xel ducked the strike and charged forward, driving his shoulder into the Darth's gut and tackling him halfway to the ground before being clubbed over the side of the head with his pommel. Feeling like the inside of a can, his head throbbed as it was beaten over and over again, his grip on the Sith slackening with every passing second. When it loosened completely, he found himself flying back once again, colliding with a railing on the far side of the hangar.

Groaning slightly, he dashed forward as his saber returned to his hand, beelining for Vader and encasing himself in a Force Shield. That shield was shattered when a TIE Fighter above him deconstructed itself and its front windshield slammed into his chest, the rest of it floating around the now-saberless Vader, his weapon hanging at his belt. Skidding back a dozen feet, new bruises forming, Xel pushed himself upright and made for the Sith again, dodging the first chunk of the fighter thrown his way and slashing through the second and third. When its left wing flew in his direction, he slid on his shins, the horizontal metal object skidding off the front of his helmet.

Leaping ten feet upward, Xel spun midair in a falling stab, but felt a sharp pain in his side when the other wing of the fighter slammed into the space under his armpit. Black spots appearing in his vision, as well as a warning for his malfunctioning jetpack, he pushed the debris off as rage began to fill his every fiber. _He's taunting me. Using my head-on tactics against me. My anger isn't gonna get the job done with pure brute force. That's_ his_ domain._ A memory flashed through his head from Obroa-skai, Alen's arms pinning him to the ground.

"_Use it."_

Dark blue eyes closed momentarily as the fire inside stoked even hotter, heat filling his blood when they opened, another fighter deconstructed and orbiting the Dark Lord. He made to charge forward again, but when the first chunk was thrown, he leapt to the side, firing his grappling hook and swinging off one of the rafters, then landing on an intact fighter. Two more pieces of flying debris slammed into the ship, but Xel was already gone, running atop a thin girder with sure steps until he had a straight diagonal path to Vader.

A malevolent smile came to his face as he brandished his lightsaber, keeping it off for now. And then he leapt off the side, arcing toward his target with deadly intent as the rest of the hangar began attacking him. A storage crate was shoved aside with his left arm as his body twisted away from a swoop's primary steering vane. His legs tucked into his chest when a fighter's wing was thrown at him again, actually extending to run across the surface and leap to another piece of incoming debris.

His rage kept building and building as the distance between them began to close, grip tightening around his saber as his left hand grabbed a piece of incoming debris, using its backward motion to pull him into a backflip that allowed him to dodge an even larger durasteel hunk of the wall. A TIE windshield slammed into his chest, catapulting him backward, but he responded instantly, letting his arms go limp and his body slide along the underside of the curved surface before it spun to coil his legs up on its inside. He sprung off a split-second later, Force adding strength to his leap as he shot toward Vader.

In a last-ditch effort to stop him, the Dark Lord levitated a full TIE Fighter and chucked it at the Mando from below. Xel flipped over the first wing as the Force sped up his perception, a flick of his wrist opening its top entrance hatch and allowing him inside. A thrust of his empty hand sent a Force Blast shattering the bottom of its spherical cockpit. Vader was barely ten feet below him, and for the first time, Xel could feel…surprise coming from him.

_Snap-hiss._

A blazing sword of blue light ignited and swung downward as the distance closed, its path meant to bisect the Darth from shoulder to hip. Instead, he found himself pulled over that shoulder and slammed into the ground chest-first, the flooring beneath him cracked with the sheer impact as his helmet went flying. A furious roar was torn from his throat as he tried to push himself up, not even succeeding in raising himself an inch, even with the Force giving him strength.

"You have fought well, young one."

Xel growled and made to move again, uselessly, feeling the pressure at his back increase as Vader's hand lowered.

"But your training is far from complete. Join me, and the Dark Side will give you more power than you have ever dreamed. No one will dare to defy you, and all will shake at the very mention of your name."

"I—never _wanted _power," he ground out, managing to raise himself a few inches. His head lifted to glare at the Darth. "Just enough to kill you."

Vader shook his head with a disappointed air. "Such a shortsighted goal. Tell me, child. You kill me, and then what? You go back to being a hunter? To someone who matters less than the dust beneath my boot?"

Xel's inner fire was stoked as he pushed himself up another inch, his right hand clenched around the hilt of his lightsaber.

"Your anger, your natural _power_ makes you valuable, more so than you know. It also makes you dangerous. I know this, and if the Emperor were ever to discover your existence, he would know it as well."

"So what? This whole time, everything you've done, the deaths, the kidnappings, the _torture_—all of it was to convince me to _join_ you?" He laughed sardonically as his shaking arms managed to push him into a crouch. "You've got a funny way of negotiating, _chakaar_. It failed, by the way."

"For now, perhaps." Vader's hand lowered, and he was pinned again, more of the floor cracking. "But perhaps this is where we must begin." A _snap-hiss_ ignited the air as red light washed over Xel, his left arm extending to the side against his will. "A lesson in humility—and pain." The blade hovered over his wrist, the boy snarling and raging against his grip as it rose.

_Snap-hiss_.

The moment Vader's lightsaber fell, a blue flash sliced through his armor's shoulder plate, sending it clattering to the ground as he withdrew and faced the new threat. The thrown lightsaber returned to the hand of its owner, one frowning, very much upset Alen Li-am.

…

The Jedi glared daggers at the Sith standing over his brother's beaten body, lightsaber held firmly in two hands and pointed diagonally up and out.

"Ah," Vader drawled. "The brother. I've been waiting for you." He strode toward Alen, saber held loosely at his side, Xel painfully starting to push himself upright. "The last time we met, you were taken out of the fight too soon for me to properly gauge your abilities." He raised his saber in a two-handed Offensive Neutral stance. "Allow me to rectify that."

Alen's head shook slowly. "This isn't some sick game, Vader." His saber pointed at the Sith. "And you're done taking things from our family."

Without another word, Alen leapt forward, making several rapid stabs at his opponent, all deflected with practiced ease. He leapt over Vader, taking a page out of Xel's book and making a slash at his head before swiping at his legs. The Sith leapt over his strike and landed some distance away, their blades clashing again and again.

"Form II. Interesting."

Alen swung wide as a feint, then tightened up his form in an upward slash at Vader's left shoulder. The Dark Lord spun his blade right to bat the strike away, then countered in the same motion with a reverse spin that nearly took Alen's head off. A Force Push sent him sliding back a few feet before he came in again, locking blades with the Darth.

"Most consider it a dead style," Vader added. "For some…that would be literal."

Darth Vader pushed Alen's blade aside and backhanded him solidly, the skin at his temple splitting and bleeding as his head throbbed.

"After all, the last Makashi master died at my hands."

Alen just grimaced and hefted his saber. "You gonna talk or are you gonna fight?"

Before he could answer, the Jedi rolled forward and stabbed low, the strike barely redirected in time. He spun clockwise with the deflect, slashing at Vader's head, the Dark Lord ducking and countering with an upward swipe. Alen dodged it with a backward tumble, a leaping cut beginning a chain of precise cuts, none of which landed anywhere near their targets. A feinted cut at his damaged shoulder was followed by an angled stab toward the control box in his chest, the Sith managing to bat his saber away mere inches before it cut through. When Alen swung downward, Vader batted the strike away hard, disarming him, and curled his left hand around the Jedi's throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Impressive," Vader said as his grip tightened and the Jedi clawed for air, the former's voice darkening. "Most impressive."

Within seconds, Alen felt like his head was about to explode, everything throbbing as blood rushed to his head.

_Snap-hiss._

Vader spun clockwise, his blade deflecting another blue shaft as he dropped Alen. An armored form ducked under his counter-strike, and the Jedi felt himself lifted off the ground as a familiar arm curled around his chest. Xel set him down a moment later, turning back toward Vader and angling his saber threateningly, one arm still around his dazed brother's shoulders.

_"We can't beat him," _Alen sent over their bond.

_"Not alone, no. But working together, we might just stand a chance."_

_ "Xel—"_

_ "No, _vod_! I've come _too_ far, sacrificed _too_ much to just give up now!"_ He scowled and met Alen's eyes. _"We do this…and then we leave."_

Heart sinking, Alen sighed and nodded slowly, his lightsaber returning to his hand with a gesture as they both rose to their feet, stances set.

…

Xel's grip clenched around the _beskar_ hilt of his saber. _"Take his right. I'll hit high and left."_

_ "Got it,"_ came Alen's somewhat reluctant voice.

Feinting a forward lunge, Xel leapt around Vader's left side, slashing from above and hitting empty air as he sidestepped and smacked Alen's incoming blade away with ease. The Mando made a point to stay on his "blind" side as they pincered Vader from opposite directions, but the Sith Lord just kept twirling his lightsaber in constant deadly arcs, never giving either of them an opening. Suddenly, Vader's grip shifted from his right hand to his left, and he made an attacking backward slash at Xel's neck, barely ducked in time.

Taking the opportunity, Alen made another stab for Vader's control box, but was sidestepped and thrown in the direction of his lunge by the Sith's powerful prosthetics. He recovered with a smooth roll, but Xel had already reengaged, falling into a series of attacks meant to build power by spinning his entire body and hammering repeatedly in a single direction. It wasn't working, but then, it wasn't entirely meant to. On the fifth repetition, Xel anticipated his counterattack and ducked underneath, left hand drawing a pistol and firing twice only for Vader's empty hand to simply absorb the shots.

That same hand directed a Force Push at the youth that sent him skidding back a few steps, but Xel had finally started adapting to his overwhelming power with more subtle tactics. The wave of Force energy Vader typically used could be counteracted not if he met it with an opposing wave, but shaped his Force Shield into something resembling a wedge, more pointed than flat or round. The pushes would then slide and dissipate around his walls with little overall force transferred to his actual body. He was suddenly very glad for all the training sessions with Master Din.

The next second, Vader lunged for him in a horizontal swipe, but Alen intercepted the strike, giving him an opportunity to leap over and slash at his head. The Darth ducked under his attack, the tip of his blade missing by centimeters, as he pivoted and shunted Alen off to the side, following the maneuver with a stab and cut to his leg. Alen redirected his second attack and countered with an upward slash as Xel made a swing to decapitate him. Vader sidestepped to his left, and their blades collided, leaving them vulnerable to a double Force Push that sent them flying in opposite directions.

Xel collided with a stack of crates on one end of the hangar, Alen skidding across the floor.

_"We need a new tactic," _Alen sent with a grimace.

_"Agreed. The Voss maneuver."_

_ "What?"_

_ "Voss. Maneuver. Now."_

The Jedi's eyes narrowed as he nodded grimly, then raised his saber and charged. Xel did the same, zigzagging across the metal floor as Vader began hurling objects at the two of them. Alen side-flipped away from a torn-out rail, Xel leaping over a durasteel wall panel as they closed the distance. When the next salvo arrived, they'd already closed to strike distance, Alen flipping over his next telekinetic attack. Xel took a more direct approach, encasing his body in another pointed Force Shield and lowering his shoulder to an incoming ammo crate. Plasma gas cartridges went flying when the crate shattered with his impact, the boy still running.

As Alen fell, he took a move out of Xel's playbook, cutting downward with all the force of gravity backing him up, his brother driving forward in a rolling stab.

"Enough."

Caden felt his feet leave the ground when his chest was pummeled with an invisible fist, Alen feeling something in his left shoulder give out when Vader Force Gripped his body and pulled him over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground. Both dazed brothers suddenly found it hard to breathe as they were lifted into the air, their sabers dropping from their clawing fingers as their windpipes constricted.

"Your skills are certainly impressive, especially when combined, but refinement is necessary if you are to achieve your potential."

Xel snarled and growled as much as he could with black spots swimming in his vision.

"Whether you realize it or not, both of you have a part to play in the course of galactic events. I have foreseen it."

Alen shot his brother an alarmed look, trying to focus on retrieving his lightsaber, but failing as the grip around his throat tightened.

"And though some of you may be willing to abdicate that responsibility—" he shot Xel a pointed look, "—that is something I refuse to allow."

Vader's fingers tightened, both brothers letting out desperate gasps as Xel's rage began to drain, giving way to panic and desperation. _No, you _monster_, leave my brother _out_ of this!_ His teeth gritted as he felt progressively more lightheaded, the blood rushing to his head. His hands started to fall, struggling both useless and taking too much energy as he blacked out bit by bit. Suddenly, his left hand brushed against something, and a fierce hope thrummed through his system. Vader's head suddenly snapped over to him, confusion radiating off his massive frame.

_Snap-hiss._

A blazing green blade flew toward the Dark Lord's head, spinning with deadly intent, its image reflected in the shiny surface of his helmet. It stopped when Vader snatched it out of the air with his left hand, deactivating it. Unfortunately, his hand's preoccupation lessened his hold enough for Alen to shatter his grip and drop to the ground, gasping. In a single desperate maneuver, he reached up and stretched out with the Force, metal groans filling the room before a massive snap resounded. Xel looked up as he too was dropped, a massive Imperial shuttle falling toward the three of them.

The moment his feet hit the ground, he and his brother leapt away from the dropping wreck. As it turned out, the maneuver was unnecessary, since the shuttle began to levitate just ten feet from hitting them. Both stared at Vader openmouthed as he held the ship aloft, Xel's eyes flashing with a perverse glee as both sabers returned to his hands, igniting a moment later.

A hand on his arm stopped him from lunging forward.

Xel snarled at his brother.

"_No_, Xel!" Alen roared, his eyes filling. "I've lost _enough _tonight! I'm not losing you too!" His upper lip twitched. "Or do you _really _think you can survive being crushed by that shuttle if you _do_ kill him?"

Caden stared at him for a few moments, his jaw dropping halfway as the red haze over his mind began to clear, several rapid breaths leaving his body. For the first time since he'd heard Vader's voice in his head, he could feel his brother, truly feel him, and what reached him over his bond was…devastating. Xel nearly collapsed, instead deactivating his sabers and letting them fall to his sides.

"Y-You're right," he whispered brokenly. He turned his head to look out the hangar's ray-shielded viewport, seeing the Rebellion's fleet in full retreat, or as full as they could accomplish with barely half their ships still mobile. His dark blue eyes widened. "What have I done?"

Alen's hand went to his shoulder. "Let's go." He looked back to Vader. "Now."

Xel nodded twice, stowing his sabers and retrieving his helmet with the Force.

"My ship's parked on the far side of this hangar. Get to yours as soon as possible. I'll try and clear a path."

The Mando gulped and nodded, heading for the exit door, but stopped in his tracks when he felt a wave of unadulterated rage that was not his own, turning in horror to see Vader lifting the shuttle higher, a low growl coming from his throat. "Oh no. No, no, no, Alen _move_!"

Before the Jedi could understand what he was saying, Vader Force threw the shuttle across the entirety of the hangar—using its metal carcass to demolish the _Telia_.

Alen threw the Darth an incredulous look. "Really?"

Xel just snorted and stared as his brother sprinted in his direction, feeling a sharp pain in the back of his head when an infuriated roar came from the black-suited figure approaching at their backs. "Uh-oh. Alen—"

"We're going!"

The brothers sprinted down one hall after the next, expediting a quarter mile in less than a minute as any forces that attempted to stop them were either cut down or blown aside. When a set of blast doors slammed shut between them and the _Kandosii'tal's_ hangar, they reacted instantly, sabers igniting and taking opposite sides of an entrance carved into the door. They were through in seconds, both running up the ramp and keying it closed as Xel chucked off his helmet and started up the engines to bring them into a climb.

"Xel, the shields!"

Lo and behold, there was a ray shield blocking their path out. With a quick scan and adjustment of the targeting systems, Xel opened up with several turbolasers blasts that tore into the walls of the hangar, destroying the generators keeping the shields in place and creating a vacuum that already began to suck the ship out. When he hit the engines, a burst of confusion flooded his system, as the _Kandosii_ shuddered to an abrupt halt. Eyebrows furrowing, he scanned for any tractor beams or other particle-based anchor systems and found nothing. With a single blink and a brief extension of his Force Sense, Xel knew the answer.

"Xel, where are you going?"

He retrieved his helmet and made for the ship's top access hatch. "The moment that pull stops, punch the accelerator. No matter what."

"Xel—"

"Just do it!" he yelled, hitting the airlock seal and release, shooting himself out onto the hull of the ship.

A single grappling hook was fired into the _Kandosii'tal's _upper hull, anchoring Xel to the ship as he leapt to the back of the vessel to see exactly what he was expecting: Darth Vader, standing behind his ship with both hands extended. A snarl came to his face as he saw another Mando in his position. His head tilted as he unstrapped his jetpack and hurriedly fiddled with it. A malevolent smile came to his face as he finished.

"Usen'ye bah haran_, Imperial _hut'uun_."_

Vader looked up at Xel as he gave a single mocking salute, then held his jetpack up—two magnetic detpacks strapped to its back. A single spark from his gauntlet's built-in plasma torch started the pack up, and it shot toward Vader like a missile. It exploded like one a second later.

"Now!" Xel roared into his comlink.

An instant later, the _Kandosii'tal_ shot into space—and his left shoulder from its socket. An agonized scream shot from his lips as he was dragged behind his rapidly accelerating ship, his other hand reaching up to grab the cable and alleviate some of the pressure, as well as hit the reel in control. Six seconds later, he was dragging himself through the closing hatch, the cable extended and wrapped around his injured arm and chest as a makeshift sling. He slowly stepped into the hallway, taking his helmet off with his good arm and tucking it under his bad one as he made for the cockpit.

What he found sent his eyes widening and stinging. Alen was in the copilot's seat, staring blankly out the viewport at a field of debris, plasma, and little else.

"The fleet," he whispered brokenly. "It's gone. I mean…I'm sure some of them got away, but…"

Jaw tightening, Xel laid his helmet on the dash and started programming a destination into the nav computer.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting us out of here," he replied flatly.

"Are you kidding me?! Those were our comrades, our _friends_, we can't just—"

"What?" He rounded on his brother with a snarl. "Leave them?" He pointed out the viewscreen. "Look around you, _vod_. They're all _dead_. We owe the dead our respect, not our lives." He returned to programming the route and spinning up the hyperdrive as his brother snorted and crossed his arms.

"You're one to talk," he growled.

Xel's jaw clenched as his hand paused on the hyperdrive controls. "I know."

A loud hum came from the engines before they shot off into the blue tunnel of hyperspace.

…

Xel tensely stood up and headed for the armory, stripping off his left arm's plates to lessen the strain on his dislocated appendage. Once he had it in a proper sling, he headed toward his room, feeling more than seeing Alen coming at him from behind. When he turned around, a loud grunt left his vocals as a fist slammed into the side of his jaw. Xel stumbled back a step, but turned back to him without complaint to see the Jedi scowling, anger radiating off his entire frame.

"You spineless…_soulless_ little bastard."

The Mando raised an eyebrow.

Alen pointed at the back of the ship. "You left them…to die. And I don't mean just now, I mean _before_. You had our backs, we had a _solid_ defense…" He stepped toward Xel threateningly. "And then you caught one whiff of Vader…and you abandoned your post."

The Mando's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression neutral as he stared into his brother's eyes. "Vader was _always_ my objective, not the rebels. Deep down, you always knew that, so really—"

Alen's breath left his lungs as a gauntleted, weight-driven upper-cut slammed into his solar plexus, leaving him wheezing on the floor.

Xel snarled and turned away. "What did you expect?" he hissed, walking toward his room.

"I expected—" cough, "—that you would have some _honor_!" Alen took several wheezing breaths as he got to his feet, approaching his brother. "If not loyalty, then honor, and if not honor, then professional pride."

Xel slowly turned to face him.

"You took a job," Alen stated simply, upper lip twitching. "You're supposed to follow through, no matter what. I thought Dad taught you that."

He grabbed the shorter teen by the collar and shoved him against a wall with one arm. "Don't you _dare_ bring him into this."

Alen shrugged and motioned to the ship, laughing without humor. "But this was _all_ about him…wasn't it?" He smacked his brother's arm off and shoved him back, voice raising. "Him, and Mom, and Linn. This was about _you_ and your _vendetta_ against the Sith."

He smiled nastily and waved a finger at him, turning away.

"And you want to know the funny part, Xel? Hm? You wanna know? In trying to avenge them, to honor their memories, you betrayed_ everything_ they stood for!" Alen approached his tense brother, the boy's good arm leaning against a wall. "Eran, En, Tobin. Your friends, your _family_. They're _all_ rubble now, because of you. All _dead_, because of _you_!"

Xel whirled and roared into his brother's face. "Don't you think I know that?!"

Alen drew back, jaw dropping as he saw the younger boy's eyes fill with tears and pain.

Xel stepped away, face twisting in anguish as he slumped against a wall, head in his hands as he slid to his knees. His mouth opened and closed noiselessly several times. "I can hear them, Alen," he whispered brokenly. His eyes looked up and locked with Alen's brighter ones. "I can _feel_ them." He looked away. "Screaming…wailing, in agony. Thousands of them." His hands fisted in his hair, oblivious to the pain in his shoulder because the pain in his head was so much worse. "So many…so _many_…" Several rapid, desperate breaths went through his lungs as Alen crouched next to him, a hand lightly placing itself on his good shoulder. His eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched.

En's face flashed through his vision, the Weequay too, both consumed in fire as a ship cracked apart. Fire, death, bodies, ashes—everything blended together in an endless storm of agony.

"So much…_pain_," he gasped.

"Xel," Alen said quietly, concern lacing his tone. "Xel, listen to me, you have to block it out. Xel—_Xel_!"

"So many…because of me…"

Thousands of bright lights flooded his vision, flickering in and out haphazardly as pressure kept building in his head.

"All dead…all _dead_!"

One by one, they started to wink out of existence, slowly but surely revealing a massive black hole in the backdrop of their luminance. And suddenly, they all vanished at once. Xel's eyes snapped open as a startled gasp left his throat, mouth wide open. His tense hands loosened, and he stared blankly into the distance as Alen kept trying to get through to him. Slowly but surely, his hearing began to return.

"Xel—damn it, man, talk to me!"

A long gulp went through the boy's throat as his head slowly turned to face his panicking brother. He licked his dry lips. "Alen," he started in a whisper, eyes on the floor. "I can't feel them anymore." His gaze rose slowly. "I can't feel _you_." Xel's eyes drifted to his fallen helmet as a horrified look blossomed on Alen's features, good hand outstretching. The _buy'ce_ didn't move an inch. "I can't feel anything." He breathed in and out a few more times, slowly turning back to Alen. "_Vod_…I can't feel the Force."

* * *

AN: …I need sugar right now. I know I've written depressing before, but…this somehow feels worse than all of it. Anyway, next chapter is the last of the season. I'm not gonna leave you like this. Couldn't do that in good conscience.

I do apologize for how late this is getting to you guys. I got sick a couple days ago, and, well, let's just say Xel isn't the only one who needs to channel his emotions to work well. Being sick, for some reason, suppresses any strong emotions, so I had a massive case of writer's block here. I'll have to push my timetable on chapter 39 to Thursday to account for any more unforeseen acts of biology, but I promise I'll get it to you as soon as possible. If I finish earlier, I'll release earlier.

_Please_ review this chapter.

Next chapter on _Kandosii'tal_: In the aftermath of the Battle of Hypori, a rift forms between Alen and the now-Forceless Xel as the latter is left on Mandalore to recover from extensive physical damage. But after realizing that his mission was nothing more than a vendetta driven by blind emotion, can he recover from the psychological damage?

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: the Empire Strikes Back – The Clash of Lightsabers: start-1:37—conversation in the hallway to "wait a little longer"

Star Wars: the Force Unleashed – Drexl's Raiders: start-0:56—man in a hood to blinding flash, 0:56-end—duel with Vader to slammed against the ground; General Kota and the Control Room Duel: 2:09-end—Alen's intervention to "Impressive"; Maris and the Bull Rancor: brothers attack to "Enough"

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith – Anakin's Betrayal: 2:50-end—"Don't you think I know that" to end of chapter


	39. After the Storm

A long gulp went through the boy's throat as his head slowly turned to face his panicking brother. He licked his dry lips. "Alen," he started in a whisper, eyes on the floor. "I can't feel them anymore." His gaze rose slowly. "I can't feel _you_." Xel's eyes drifted to his fallen helmet as a horrified look blossomed on Alen's features, good hand outstretching. The _buy'ce_ didn't move an inch. "I can't feel anything." He breathed in and out a few more times, slowly turning back to Alen. "_Vod_…I can't feel the Force."

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

1 month BBY

Alen stared at his brother in unabashed horror for several seconds before slowly shaking his head. "What do you _mean_ you can't feel the Force?"

"My senses…they're dulled. I can't feel your presence anymore, can't feel the power I had before, can't feel anything outside my own body." Xel's eyes squeezed shut as he grimaced and tried to concentrate again. His eyes snapped open a few seconds later. "I feel color blind," he whispered shakily.

The Jedi just held his gaze, shaking his head slowly as he slumped to the ground.

Xel blinked a few times before standing.

"Where are you going?"

The Mando shook his head to clear out the haze. "This isn't gonna fix itself. The holocrons might know more about this." He made for the armory, Alen following at a slower pace, but stopped short the moment he stepped inside.

The Jedi's eyes widened. "Wait…is that—"

Xel stepped forward slowly, approaching his workbench and reaching down with his good hand to pick up a long, rectangular chip. A portable holoprojector next to it blinked with a recorded message. A single touch keyed it on, and the armored form of PT-37 filled the space above it.

"If you are seeing this, Master, then I did not make it back to the ship. I am sorry for that, but it was to carry out your orders."

The Mando just stared at the image.

"The Imperials had contingencies in place that would have prevented us from leaving at best and destroyed us all at worst. Since this message is playing, I would wager that my efforts were not in vain, and that I destroyed both targets."

Xel reached up slowly and curled his hand around the image's torso.

"If I am not here, however, then I was destroyed aboard the _Retribution_. Capture was not an option, so I rigged a failsafe should I be compromised. Rest assured, the Imperials who defeated me are now little more than vapor. But so is my body. Because I anticipated this, I created a full copy of my code and artificial brain, and uploaded them to the chip next to this projector. I will always be with you, Master. _Ni kar'tayl_ _gai sa'vod_, Xel. _Ret'urcye mhi_."

Xel's hand closed firmly around the chip, both brothers standing silent after the recording came to a stop.

"What does that mean?" Alen asked. "What he said?"

Xel stared at the chip in his hand. "Goodbye."

"No, no, what he said before that."

The younger boy sighed and smiled sadly. "I know your name as my brother." He chuckled softly. "Metal _chakaar_ finally got it…at the end." Xel tucked the chip into a pouch at his belt, sighing hard as he made for his room.

"What about the holocrons?"

He stopped in the doorway right arm braced against one as he turned his head toward his brother. "It doesn't matter." His face darkened. "None of it matters."

Alen stared at his retreating armored form until he was tucked behind a solid wall of metal, out of sight and out of mind…literally.

…

Caden residence, Mandalore

"Would you pass me that hydrospanner, dear?"

"Sure."

Maila reached over to a nearby toolbox and grabbed the required device, tossing it to Teras, who snatched it out of the air with a twirl. She smiled at his flair and leaned her chin on her palms as she watched him work on an old swoop bike. He screwed in two more sockets on the engine manifold before tossing the hydrospanner back to her. She returned it to its slot a moment later, eyebrows furrowing as she watched the Zabrak's movements, noting the smooth, professional feel to everything he did. It reminded her of Xel, just less rigid, stiff, and choppy. A frown came to her face at the reminder.

She hadn't heard much from the younger man since Iola dropped her off here three days ago, only that they were shipping out to a planet called Hypori, supposedly the heart of some Imperial production site. The Zeltron twisted a strand of her hair between two fingers, the rote task of swoop repair dulling and easing her mind of the worry that had gnawed at her ever since she was parted from Xel. Maila hadn't said anything to his brother, not only about the visions he'd been getting, but his state of mind as well. At this point, she was starting to regret that.

"You miss him, yeah?"

Maila blinked once, looking over at Teras, who was throwing her a knowing smirk. "Why do you say that?"

"Other than the blank stares into the distance and the way you've been keeping one eye on the sky since you got here?"

She blushed a little, the red almost invisible in her complexion. "I'm worried. He wasn't in the best state of mind when I left…and I'm afraid he's going to do something foolish."

Teras snorted. "That would pretty much be his MO, _Mail'ika_. The boy's always had a flair for the theatrical, even though he'd never admit it."

"I'm afraid this set of theatrics will be anything but entertaining."

The Zabrak frowned and nodded, wiping his hands on an oil cloth. "You're probably right." He sighed hard. "But then, women usually are."

Maila arched an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

He chuckled lightly. "Telia. When Xander worked for her, he always said that following orders wasn't his strongest suit, especially when those orders seemed wrong." His head shook slowly, a grin on his face. "But she didn't need her authority to boss him around. That man was whipped barely two months into his employment."

Maila frowned. "He doesn't talk about them much. His parents, I mean."

Teras followed her example. "When it comes to grief, that is not a good thing." He motioned her over and strode one room over to Xander's old study, pulling a cube-like device from his desk. "This is a datacron, kind of a…family archive, if you will."

Its top projected a menu of various lists and images, Teras scrolling over to a particular set. On it was a list of about a dozen names—all bearing the surname of Caden, minus one. _Telia Li-am_. Maila also saw Xander's name there, but neither Teras nor Xel.

"Wait a minute," she said. "These…these are the names of the dead."

Teras nodded once. "They are. Every day, we speak them, as a memorial, and a reminder that none of us have forever to live, but that even in death, as long as we are remembered, we live on in the _manda_."

Her raven brows furrowed. "The what?"

"_Manda_. It's our…collective soul. All Mandalorians become a part of it when they die, passing on their knowledge and increasing the strength of the whole."

She blinked. "Like the Force."

Teras' head cocked as he looked off to the side. "Huh…never thought of it that way." He shrugged. "Guess you're right."

Maila played with her hair as the Zabrak stored away the datacron. "So…_all_ Mandalorians become part of this…collective?"

He frowned. "All true Mandalorians, yes."

Her brows knitted. "What does that mean?"

Teras sighed. "It means that…sometimes, members of our culture fall away, forget what it means to be _Mando'ade_, forget the _Resol'nare_, the five actions of a Mandalorian. When that happens, they become '_dar'manda_,' no longer Mandalorian. It is, by far, the highest form of shame and disgrace among our kind. Only being declared _dar'buir_ comes anywhere close to second."

"_Buir_… no longer a mother?"

Teras shrugged. "Or father. It's a sign of disownment by one's children." His head shook. "Not a pretty sight. I only know a few _Mando'ade_ who've had to suffer that shame, and one…well, let's just say he didn't deserve it." He smirked. "And now he's got three times the family that he ever did before, both in number and quality, only one of them related by blood, the rest by bond."

Maila smiled. "_Aliit ori'shya tal'din_."

The older man grinned and chuckled. "Indeed."

The girl kept smiling, looking out the window absently. Her eyes widened and jaw dropped when the thick clouds parted and a familiar ship descended. "Teras—he's here!"

She laughed and grinned wildly as she sprinted out the door, arriving at the estate's landing pad moments later, the backdraft from the _Kandosii'tal's_ repulsorlifts sending her skirt flapping and her hand rising to shield her face from dust. Maila kept smiling until she saw two forms descending the ramp, one armored, the other robed, each with completely different body language. Her smile dropped when she saw their faces. Alen was…angry, in his own tense, Jedi-like way, his features expressionless, but too stiff and drawn to be anywhere in the vicinity of calm—which was a surprise in itself.

What shocked her was Xel. It wasn't the fact that he was missing several pieces of armor around an injured arm, since he was reckless enough to break something every time he went out, or that he had a considerable limp to his left step. It was his face, and, as she got closer to him, his feel. Her inborn empathic abilities were going all kinds of haywire at the emotional turmoil he was projecting, but there was something else as well, some kind of interference, dulling it. The signal wasn't nearly as clear as it had been for the past month, and it wasn't just the overwhelming depression she could feel radiating off him.

He gave her the answer when she enveloped him in her arms, careful not to touch his damaged one. "I failed. _It_ failed."

She didn't need him to say what "it" was, holding him closer and saying nothing. His right arm curled around her back, pulling her to him rather weakly, his face buried in her neck and the hair falling over it.

"They're all dead."

Her brows furrowed. "Who?"

Xel's hold on her tightened, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Eran. Ijul. En. Tobin. I abandoned them to chase after Vader. And he expected me to, so when I broke off…reinforcements jumped in. Wiped them all out."

Something wet splattered against her neck, and she had to start blocking him out to avoid getting a migraine.

The Mando chuckled humorlessly. "You wanna know the best part? I think if I'd just stayed put, kept fighting…we would've won. Or at the very least, our friends would still be alive."

"You don't know that," she said softly.

"Yes I do. This whole engagement was about me, finding a way to isolate me from anyone who could help. If I'd stayed among the rebels, he would've had no opportunity to crush them so completely, because then he'd have been risking me." His head shook against her shoulder. "The mad _chakaar _played me like a kriffing _bes'bev_."

Maila briefly considered asking him what that was, but dismissed the notion instantly. He had enough on his mind. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he breathed. "Me too."

…

30 minutes later

A pronounced sigh left Xel's lips as he leaned back. "This passive-aggressive _osik_ is annoying. Out with it."

Alen threw his brother a surprised look, his hands coming to a stop on Xel's injured shoulder.

The Mando rolled his eyes. "I don't need the Force to know when something's bothering you."

The Jedi's eyes narrowed, turning down to his shoulder as he resumed his healing session. "I'm leaving."

Xel blinked hard and stared at him. "How?"

Alen's lips pursed. "While you were out during transit, I got a message at one of our fuel stops. Small piece of good news." He looked up at his brother. "Iola survived. She was still in hyperspace when the fleet was decimated. By the time she got there, the Imperials had finished up. When all she saw was a blockade, she jumped out and contacted us. She's headed here now."

Xel breathed out hard and closed his eyes, a small smile creasing his lips as he nodded slowly. "Good," he whispered, sighing again as his head leaned back. "Good."

A long silence passed before Alen spoke again. "You're gonna ask why I'm leaving?"

The younger brother opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. "Why would I ask a question I already know the answer to?" He looked over at Alen. "You don't trust me…and you're right not to." He turned back to the ceiling. "Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

Xel's jaw tightened for a moment, his voice lowering to a pleading whisper. "Stay safe, _vod_. I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt because I drove you away with my…treachery. And yes, that's what it was, so don't even bother denying it."

The Jedi sighed hard. "I love you, Xel." He held his younger brother close, both of Xel's arms looping around his midsection. "That'll never change. I hope you know that."

Xel's jaw clenched as he nodded into his chest. "I know."

They stayed like that for a full minute, their moment disrupted by a beep from Alen's belt. The Jedi pulled a comlink from it, looking over its small display and frowning.

"She's here." He took a long breath and looked down at Xel. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Caden briefly considered being glib about it, smiling and shooting off some cocky answer. Instead he found he just didn't have the strength, so he went for the truth. His blue eyes looked up into his brother's concerned expression. "I don't know." He took Alen's hand in both of his, patting it with his right. "But don't let that stop you. You know your path, _vod_, or at the very least your identity." He looked off to the side. "But me? I've lived for vengeance for so long…I don't know who I am without that mission. You deserve better than being stuck taking care of someone like that…like you have been for the last year."

"Xel, that's not—"

"It _is_, and you know it." Dark blue eyes narrowed. "The time for restraint and deception is over. Call it how it is." He pushed himself upright with a groan, working out the cramps and cricks in his mostly healed shoulder. "And for once in your life, stop following orders. Make your own decision."

"I already told you my decision."

"No, you phrased a possibility as a statement." He arched an eyebrow when Alen gave him a confused look. "You do that a lot, especially when you think the idea'll be shot down. But, if you insist on taking orders, then take this one." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Do what you want, what you _need_."

Alen chuckled humorlessly. "And what's that?"

Xel shrugged and walked toward another room. "How in _haran _should I know? I'm not in your head anymore, remember?" He stopped in the doorway, turning his head to face Alen. "Goodbye, _vod_." He smiled a little. "Keep in contact, 'kay? Without this—" he tapped his temple, "—I got no way of knowing if you're alive otherwise." He gave a lopsided smile. "It kinda sucks, to be honest."

Alen laughed softly and nodded. "Will do. Take care of yourself." He made for the exit, stopping halfway through the door. "And don't forget to let yourself be taken care of. No matter where I am, you're not alone, Xel. Remember that."

The Mando just stood in place, numbly staring at the place his brother had stood. He lost all track of time, and what felt like hours passed before Maila came and shook his arm, pulling him toward dinner.

…

"Hey, slick. How you holdin' up?"

Alen gave Iola a week smile as he boarded the ramp of the T-6 shuttle. "I'll be okay. I think."

"And Xel?" she asked, following him into the cockpit.

The Jedi exhaled slowly, slumping into the pilot's seat and just sitting there. "Truthfully…I don't know." He looked up at her. "Did you get a chance to read my message?"

She nodded.

"Then you know what happened to him."

"Yes. Though I'm still a little confused as to how that happened."

Alen looked away from her, toward the house outside his viewport. "He's had the Force all his life, even if he didn't know it. To be so suddenly stripped of it…" He sighed and shook his head. "Forget the how or why." He nodded toward the house. "I'm worried about what it'll do to him." He frowned. "I can still feel him. Through our bond. It's still there…but it's weak. So incredibly weak, like there's something blocking it, keeping us apart." His head shook slowly. "It's like he's barely a ghost of his former self."

She knelt beside him, looking out at the building. "You know…your brother and I didn't get along at first. Like, at all."

He smirked. "I remember."

"You know when that changed?"

Alen glanced over at her. "When?"

"When you were captured on Lannik, Xel and I went to scout the prison for a breakout. When we backed off, he accidentally did something, saw one of my memories."

"Yeah, you told me about this."

"Well…did I ever tell you that the link went both ways?"

His head snapped in her direction.

She smirked. "He saw Jeros…a favorite place of mine I liked to visit." Her smile turned wistful. "But, when he lost himself in the emotion of the scene…his mind relaxed, and he accessed one of his own memories, something I don't think he even knows he has." Iola looked over at him with her striking sky blue eyes, their irises almost crystalline in appearance. "Would you like to see?"

Alen's head cocked, and he nodded. She knelt next to him as he turned in his chair, putting both hands on her head and closing his eyes in concentration. Something flickered through his consciousness briefly before he was suddenly flooded with a myriad of emotions and senses. It all sharpened rather abruptly, and he was suddenly standing in the house he'd just left. Something was cooking over in the kitchen, and he had something in his hand, a toy of some sort. It looked suspiciously like a practice knife.

He looked up and around, spinning in circles as he made inane baby noises, his conscious mind noticing a few changes to the house, most notably a pair of cribs. Alen took a sharp breath. Two_ cribs?_ He watched in unabashed shock as Xander strode through the door and grinned at him, a petulantly wailing toddler in his arms—a toddler with brown hair. He strode over to _Xan'buir_, leaning against the bars of one crib as his younger self was placed in it. One hand poking through to grab his chubby hand in reassurance.

"_How did you not get married before me?"_

Alen turned his head to see Telia standing in the doorway, grinning at Xander and their sons. His heart ached painfully.

"_You so obviously love children."_

Xander took his bride by the waist, holding her close to his side. _"I love _my_ children. Others…well, let's just say 'bratty' is being gentle."_

Telia chuckled. _"Oh, of that I have no doubt."_ She nodded at baby Alen. _"What was his problem?"_

"_Oh, nothing, he just refused to eat like a proper gentleman…and that's despite my wise counsel about how to get a proper woman."_

"_Is that right?" _she asked ina teasing tone. _"Barely two years old and you're already indoctrinating our children with your manly wooing ways."_

"_Okay, Tel, I'm not gonna lie, that was a really creepy way of putting it."_

She shrugged and threw her hands up. _"Hey—" _she leaned in close and kissed him soundly, _"—it worked, didn't it?"_

Xander grinned as he went back for another kiss. _"That it did."_

"_Mmm…stop."_

"_What?" _he asked, annoyed.

"_The kids are watching."_

"…_oh. Right."_

Telia sighed good-naturedly, arms looped around his neck. _"Where would you be without me, you sad, sad man?"_

Xander smiled wanly. _"An even sadder man."_ He nuzzled her neck lovingly. _"With an empty heart."_

They kissed once more, tenderly, then turned toward their children, Xander's free hand taking Xel's as the boy reached out and took his sleeping brother's.

"_I love you, Tel. I love _us_." _Xander sighed hard. _"_Shab_…I don't know if I can do this."_

She gripped his hand hard. _"I know,"_ she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. _"But however this ends…I'll always be with you."_

He kissed her temple. _"I know. For now…we're going to enjoy this rest. Force knows we've earned it."_

"_That we have, _Xan'ika_. That we have."_

Alen's eyes opened as he gasped loudly, shoulders heaving as his fingers carded through his hair. With a few blinks, he wiped at his cheeks and eyes, clearing his throat and looking up at Iola.

"Thank you for that."

Iola smiled warmly. "Don't thank me." She nodded at the house. "Thank him." Her gaze shifted back to Alen as she crouched down with him, hands on his shoulders. "You're worried about him. Don't be. He's stronger than you know…and better than you think. I know your faith in him has been shaken in recent memory, and I absolutely understand why, but he is your _brother_." She smiled widely. "If he's even half the man you are…he'll come back from this. And he'll come back stronger."

Alen looked over toward the house, reaching out to his brother over their bond and still finding it blocked. He sighed hard, shaking his head, then standing and turning toward the pilot's seat. His hand brushed Iola's when they both went for the nav controls, a faint blush rising to his cheeks when he looked up and saw her eyes trained on him, gentle amusement dancing in them.

The girl let out a chuckle and waved at the controls. "Please, by all means. This _is_ your ship."

Alen smirked and entered an atmospheric exit vector. "Nah…not really. Not anymore." The Jedi looked over at his copilot, the Jerun staring back blankly. "It's _our_ ship."

They shot into space minutes later, and he could tell she wanted to say something.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing, it's just…does this thing even have a name? The shuttle, I mean."

Alen's brows furrowed, and he shrugged. "Not that I'm aware of."

She smirked wryly. "Well, if you're gonna be a proper captain, you should have a ship with a badass name."

Alen chuckled and grinned at the dashboard, thinking about it for a while. "How about…" His lips quirked upward. "_Shereshoy_?"

Iola blinked and shook her head. "The what now?"

The Jedi grinned. "_Shereshoy_.In _Mando'a_, it means a…a lust for life. The need to…live as fully and completely as you can."

She nodded slowly, a smile rising on her face. "It's a good sentiment, Mr. Li-am."

He chuckled lightly. "I happen to agree, Ms. Voss."

They exchanged a look and a laugh, his head shaking as he stared out into the vast expanse of stars in front of them.

"So…where do you want to go?" she asked.

Alen thought for a few moments. "You know…you actually got me curious." He looked over at her. "What's Jeros like?"

Iola grinned and let out a decidedly girly giggle as she turned on the nav computer and plugged in a set of coordinates. When the hyperdrive was fully primed, she reached for the controls, her hand covered by Alen's an instant later. She looked up at him to see a small, warm curve on his face, something unfamiliar yet exciting in his eyes. A broad smile spread over her features as heat rose to her face, and they pulled the hyperdrive lever in tandem.

The _Shereshoy_ shot off into the vast celestial expanse a moment later.

…

2 weeks later

2 weeks BBY

A loud gasp filled the bedroom as Xel shot upright, eyes wide open, sweat pouring down his face as his lungs heaved for air. Maila stared at him in unveiled shock as she felt out his emotional state, making a point to stay down and appear sleeping for his sake. Physically, he was breathing heavily, sweating, shaking—all symptoms of his previous night terrors. The only difference was his state of mind, and the predominant emotion in him at the time of waking. There was no rage, or frustration, or malevolence, no murderous intent or feral savagery. There was only fear. Fear, and overwhelming pain. Guilt, regret, sadness, shame.

The girl ached for her lover, wishing so badly that he still had the Force, that he could bring her into these dreams instead of having to explain them, to have them stuck in his own head. She wished that he didn't have to face them alone. But her wish was not granted, so instead she looped her arms around his chest, pulling him to her as he laid his head against her chest, gently stroking his hair as his breathing slowly calmed. They stayed that way for several minutes, just listening to each other breathe.

"I see their faces."

Maila blinked. "What?" she whispered.

"The dead. I see their faces." He looked up at her, the pale moonlight casting his face in a ghostly light. "All of them, all at once. All three thousand four hundred and fifty-five. The exact number of rebels soldiers to die that day. See, that's the scar that betrayal leaves on your soul when you're like me. Details that…seemed unimportant before, like the way En liked his caf with three packs of sugar, or the fact that Ijul could never figure out even the most basic phrases of _Mando'a_. I can't forget them. Can't block out the pain of losing them. Can't get them out of my head."

Maila's thoughts drifted back to what Teras had told her before he came back, and she pursed her lips, fingers crossed as she gulped to clear her throat, voice barely above a whisper. "Goros Ijul."

Xel tensed in her arms.

"Treyvan En. Eran Riilos."

Maila's voice increased in strength as his head rose to her shoulder.

"Hile Tobin. Jeel—" Her voice broke on the name of her friend and bodyguard. "Jee—" Maila's throat closed completely as her eyes stung.

"Jeel Imar," a deep voice said from her shoulder. "Linn Riilos."

"PT-37."

"Makar-Sei."

"Telia Li-am."

"Xan…" Xel's voice broke, eyes squeezing shut as his grip around Maila tightened and he took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as his voice stabilized. "Xander Caden." He took another deep breath and exhaled. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc. Ni partayli, gar darasuum._" A ragged breath left him as his eyes opened, a sharp gasp following a second later. "No way," he exhaled.

Maila looked down at him. "What?"

He held up a finger and closed his eyes, sitting there for nearly a minute before his expression shifted to something halfway between elation and confusion.

"What?" she repeated.

A small smile fought for control of his features as he looked up at her. "I can feel him. It's…not like before, not that strong…but I can feel my brother." He finally let the grin spread across his face as tears streamed down his cheeks and his eyes closed serenely. "Mail…you have no idea how good it feels…just to be able to sense him."

She placed a hand on his cheek, smiling warmly as she reached out with her own abilities and reveled in the sheer unadulterated glee running through his veins. "I dunno. I think I have a pretty good idea."

Xel laughed, the sound sending a jolt of pure bliss through her system as he hugged her tightly, releasing her a moment later to put a smacking kiss on her forehead. She laughed with him at the action, nuzzling his cheek as he kept chuckling, the pair content to hold each other as they shared this moment.

He had no more nightmares that night.

…

2 weeks later

2 days after the Battle of Yavin

Xel breathed out slowly, his concentration firm as a bowl of soup levitated just a foot from his outstretched hand. A satisfied smile came to his face when he got it to spin twice as fast as the previous day, extending the distance to just over three feet before recalling it to his hand and taking a victory spoonful.

A barked laugh came from the kitchen entrance, his uncle stepping through. "Getting stronger every day."

Xel smiled sadly. "Maybe…but I've taken such a massive step backward. I feel…I feel even worse off than before I'd met Telia. Like I'm learning to walk again."

"That's because you are," Teras replied with a hard pat of his shoulder. "But don't worry. You'll get through it. You always do."

The boy smiled and nodded, returning to his breakfast as Maila walked through the door with a holopad in her hand. He grinned at her. "_Su cuy'gar, mesh'la_."

The Zeltron blushed at his greeting, a shy smile coming to her face as she sat down next to him and Teras sighed.

"_Ad'ika_, leave the poor girl alone, will ya?" Teras shook his head as he exited the room.

"What?" he asked innocently, grinning and looping an arm around her waist as he tucked her against his side protectively. "I like my _cyar'ika_ to know she's appreciated." He kissed her cheek. "And beautiful."

She chuckled and smacked his chest playfully. "Flatterer."

"You know it," he purred, curling both arms around her midsection. He nodded toward the device in her hand. "So what's with the 'pad?"

"I checked on your ship today, ya know, to make sure everything was still intact. Oh, by the way, your work on Peetee's new body? Professional-grade, if I may say so."

Xel chuckled. "Well thank you. I had to be good at _something_ if I deserved you."

Maila giggled and brushed her cheek against his lips. "Anyway…I found something on your terminal. Something I think you should take a look at."

He snatched the 'pad from her grasp, stuffing a spoonful of soup in his mouth as he tabbed it on. The next spoonful froze halfway to his mouth.

"Hello, Xel. Sorry this is so late. I know I promised to keep in contact, so…I'm sorry I didn't send this sooner, but I haven't exactly been somewhere with great tightbeam reception."

Was it just his imagination, or was Alen actually putting on muscle mass?

The Jedi's blue-tinged image paced back and forth. "I uh…I have some news, most of it good." He grinned. "I finally got to see Jeros. Iola took me." He exhaled slowly, eyes closed. "Man, it was…_amazing_. The planet's huge, but…the gravity was barely any more than any terrestrial planet. It's like parts of it were hollow or something. Anyway, we gotta go there sometime, together. I think it'll be good for you. That's…actually not what I wanted to talk to you about." He chuckled. "Sorry, I'm rambling. In case it wasn't immediately obvious, I'm not exactly good at making these things."

Xel smiled and snorted softly.

"I um…" he bit his lower lip, "I reached out to the Rebellion."

The Mando's smile vanished.

"They were, shall we say, a bit shocked to find out we'd survived. Probably about as shocked as I was to learn that Hile Tobin and the majority of the _Makrin Star_ survived the battle because of my warning. They escaped before I even boarded the _Retribution_."

Xel let out a breathy laugh as one hand wiped over his face.

"Now, notice I said the _majority_ survived. A…good part of the ship was blown away by explosive rounds that punched through their shields. Five full sections of the ship had to be detached for the _Star_ to make the jump to lightspeed. One of the demolished sections…contained Ijul and En."

The boy's heart dropped with his jaw.

Alen's expression turned mournful as he took a moment, looking off to the side. "Eran made it. Barely. He's still in recovery from third and second-degree burns, but they say he'll make it. The _Ghost _got out too, though that's not much of a surprise. They're bein' deployed all over, probably to pick up the slack we left behind." He took another long breath, pinching the bridge of his nose and exhaling sharply when something occurred to him. "Oh, and there's another…particular point I have to tell you."

Xel's brows furrowed.

"The Alliance had a major victory just two days ago. Destroyed a secret Imperial superweapon capable of wiping out entire planets. They uh…tested it on Alderaan."

Maila gasped next to him.

"There's this new pilot…Luke." Alen nodded slowly, a sly smile on his face as he looked off to the side. "He's the one who destroyed it." He looked up at the projector. "And he's strong in the Force. How do I know that? Well…for starters, he survived flying against Darth Vader."

Xel stared at the image blankly, his jaw on the floor.

Alen chuckled. "Crazy, huh?" His head shook slowly. "Didn't believe it myself at first, but…well, we met. He was sent to oversee a supply run to the _Star_, and I ran into him when I was getting ready to leave." A low laugh came from his throat. "He doesn't know it yet, but Xel…this kid's powerful. And I mean_ powerful_. It was hidden, under the surface of his innocent farmboy personality, but…the amount of sheer Force energy within him…" He smiled into the camera. "Let's just say the Rebellion's odds just went up _considerably_."

The smile left Alen's face as a pinched expression replaced it. "And now, finally, to the real reason for this message. Before Iola and I met with Tobin…we kind of wandered the Outer Rim, visiting places she'd gone on her pilgrimage, you know, before she met us. Somewhere along the way, I…caught a glimpse of something. A signature in the Force, faint, but still detectable if you were looking hard enough. I followed it to a planet called Athiss. Xel, what I found…it's not supposed to be possible."

He leaned in close to the mic and lowered his voice. "There are people here. Force-sensitive people. Dozens of them, all living in the same area. And they've been here for _years_, Xel. Years. No Imperials, no hunters, not even a kriffing municipal police force bothering them. And the guy in charge, Master Fenrim, he's…" He exhaled hard as his head shook. "You've gotta see for yourself. I understand if you're not yet ready to take on an environment like this, something so new and unfamiliar, but…if you can…" His eyes closed as a pleading expression filled his features, opening a moment later. "If you can, I think I'm ready to trust you again. Or at least try."

Xel took a deep breath as his brows furrowed, looking away in thought, chin on his hand.

"He can teach you things, _vod_. Things that neither I nor Telia ever knew. Things that I doubt even our holocrons know. I know you're feeling guilty, and rightly so, but you cannot let that guilt keep you from who you really are, because whoever that is…he's gonna change the galaxy." Alen smiled into the camera. "I love you, Xel, and whatever you decide…I'll be here waiting."

The message winked out of existence a moment later, the pad going inactive as Maila stared at it blankly. She eventually looked over at him, eyebrows knitting. "So what are you gonna do?"

He kept looking out the window. "I don't know," he said absently.

Maila sighed and laid her chin on his shoulder. "Yes you do."

Xel's jaw tightened for a moment as he sighed hard.

"But you're afraid to commit."

"…yeah."

She nodded into his shoulder. "I understand. Whatever you decide, I'll support you all the way."

He smiled back at her and held her hand. "Thanks."

…

5 days later

1 week ABY

Xel let out a long exhale as he looked down at his armor, only one piece missing. He leaned down and stared at the left pauldron, its golden sword blazing as brightly as the day he'd forged it. He had briefly considered extracting it, to rid himself of its message, until he'd realized that he hadn't been wrong to seek vengeance, he'd just gone about it the absolute wrong way. Laser focus to the detriment of everyone and everything he held dear. That was the Dark Side through and through, and he didn't need an ancient Sith controlling his actions for that to happen.

That was the day he realized the true corrupting power of the Dark Side. It wasn't when evil stared you in the face, offering you ultimate power in exchange for your soul. It was in the quiet, desperate moments, when it felt like everything you loved had been torn from you, and nothing could be felt except the grief of the loss and the rage at the perpetrator. The true Dark Side didn't control you or take over, it simply waited for you to be at your lowest, for you to be frail and broken enough to see it as the only way out. And it was true. It was a way out for him.

It just wasn't a way up.

And so with this realization, he forged a new piece, something to remind him of the lessons his parents and brother had tried to teach him all his life. Something just behind the sword, yet overshadowing it in size. Xel picked up the newly re-forged pauldron in his right hand, eyes scanning over the black shield that now served as the mounting piece for the sword. He lifted it to his shoulder and assembled it as the last piece of his armor, still looking over at it.

_Vengeance…tempered with justice._ A deep breath entered his lungs as his eyes closed and he reached out to his brother. _Balance._ Dark blue eyes snapped open, and he turned toward the door to see Maila watching him with an approving smile on her face.

He didn't smile back.

She noticed. "Xel?" Maila began to approach him. "What's wrong?"

Xel took her hands and pursed his lips tightly. "I don't think I can still be with you."

Instead of looking heartbroken or even angry, Maila rolled her eyes and sighed hard in annoyance, looking every bit like she wanted to slap him. "Xel—"

"No, just hear me out." His expression turned grim. "A month ago…I died. Not out here, not this…crude matter." He tapped his chest. "In here. In my soul." Xel inhaled deeply. "I turned my back on everything I thought I was. Everything I was raised to be. I not only betrayed myself, but I betrayed my parents _and_ their memories by abandoning the ideals and responsibilities they instilled in me from birth." His head shook slowly. "When I first went after Telia…I told you that if I ever came back, I wouldn't be the man you wanted.

"I was right." He was silent a moment, his eyes looking elsewhere. "I let my anger control me. Threw myself into the very abyss I wanted to destroy so badly. I became the thing I hate, because I knew nothing but hate, and in the process, I gave up my identity." He shrugged limply. "I don't know who I am anymore. But I know I'm not the man you fell for two years ago." He smirked ruefully, shaking his head slowly. "I'm nothing. _Dar'manda_…_dar'jetii_." Xel could feel her heart tightening in her chest. "Mail, I need to figure out who I'm meant to be…and until then, I can't let you wait for me."

The Zeltron sighed hard, running a hand over her eyes. "What makes you think I'll have to?" She threw her hands up. "Who says I can't take that journey with you? Not…literally, of course. I have no desire whatsoever to hang around a bunch of mystics for who knows how long." She cupped his cheek with her hand. "But I want to be with you, every step of the way."

"But—"

"No," she said firmly, a finger on his lips. "You're not getting rid of me that easily." Maila shrugged with a smirk. "Besides, Athiss isn't even that far away. I'm sure I can come visit sometime."

Xel stared at her for a few seconds before his face split into a grin and he kissed her soundly, the Zeltron squeaking in surprise before responding in kind. They pulled away a few seconds later, staring at each other with gigantic grins.

"Mmm," she purred, "well if that's the kind of response I'm getting every time I visit, I'll be sure to do it frequently."

He chuckled. "You better."

She nodded seriously. "I will."

After a few more seconds, Xel released his girlfriend and headed for the door, stopping halfway through and looking back at her. "Goodbye, Maila."

She gave him a nod. "Goodbye, Xel."

Taking one last look at the house, the hunter strode toward his ship, helmet tucked under his arm, a new Merr-Sonn jetpack adorning his back as two hardcases sat on his hips, just above blaster-laden holsters, the right one just forward of a sheathed knife. The _Kandosii'tal's_ engines powered on as the droid brain hooked up to his nav computer calculated the hyperspace jump and began a pre-flight check. When he reached the halfway mark to the ramp, his t-visored helmet rose and fell over his features, sealing him in high-grade Mandalorian iron, a universally-recognized symbol of warrior perfection.

The ramp closed with his entry, the cockpit in sight within seconds, his armored form taking the pilot's seat as the ship began climbing into the atmosphere.

"Tee, give me controls."

"Yes, sir," the ship replied.

The ship thrummed with life as he gunned its sublight engines, shooting out of Mandalore's atmosphere in seconds as he reveled in the sheer euphoria of the movement. Everything felt so new, every feeling fresh and crisp and wonderful as he reconnected with the life he'd once known. The life he had again. His eyes closed as a smile blossomed behind his helmet, an image of Xander's smiling face flashing through his vision. _Thank you, _buir_._ He looked down at the left hardcase on his hip. _Thank both of you._

"Hyperspace coordinates set," the familiar metallic voice said.

"Roger."

A confident smile creased his lips as he leaned forward in focus, his right hand falling to the hyperdrive lever as his left stayed on the control yoke. Cin vhetin_. Let's get started. _As the _Kandosii'tal _accelerated past the speed of light, Xel could've sworn he heard two gentle whispers over the roar of the hyperdrive. They both said the same thing.

"_May the Force be with you, son."_

* * *

AN: Hard to know what to say here, at the end of season two. Well, the first thing that comes to mind is: _IT'S NOT OVER_. Now that that's out of the way, I will admit that this will be all for a while. I'm really into my new Flash crossover (highly recommend that show; it's awesome), and I want to finish that before moving off to any other projects. Also, these past two chapters have been murder to write with the incredible writer's block I've been having with this universe.

Anyway, the next season will be…interesting. I'm still trying to decide just how long I want it. One thing's for sure, I will_ definitely_ be having some more crossovers with the Rebel Alliance and its heroes, possibly bringing in the crew of the _Falcon_ or members of Rogue Squadron. In chapter 37, you may have noticed that I mentioned a "Darklighter" near the beginning of the space battle. That was Biggs Darklighter, AKA Red Three, a member of what would later come to be known as Rogue Squadron. That, and the message from Alen about the Death Star were meant to set up a possible plotline with the Rogues next season.

At any rate, thank you thank you THANK YOU for all your support and feedback. You have no idea how much it has meant to me to have all of you behind me for this incredible journey. I have certainly learned a lot since I began this story, and I plan on learning a whole lot more before this is over.

For now, I will say goodbye and _oya_, _vode_.

\- CDrake

Next season on _Kandosii'tal_: After three years of training and near-seclusion on Athiss, Xel Caden returns to the underbelly of the galaxy, and finds himself on a job that reaches far beyond anything he's ever tackled as a hunter. To expose a corrupt plot and save thousands of innocent lives, he must use everything he has ever learned and experienced…but sometimes even the strongest of warriors need a Hand.

8/24/15 - P.S.: I have a new announcement to make. I need your help with the next season. On my author page, I put up a poll regarding what you, the readers, want to see in season three. It's fairly self-explanatory; I like to be thorough with my work. Please make your choices and vote soon. If I know what appeals to you guys the most, I might have a better sense of what I'm going to do, and finally be able to break past some of this writer's block, get a chapter out soon. That's a big maybe though, since I'm finding it hard to write anything nowadays.

At any rate, I hope you've enjoyed the ride and are looking forward to some genuine adventure next season. This one was dedicated to a lot of crazy bad, depressing as _haran_ _osik_, something I've kind of regretted, but season three...it's going to be glorious. Still some heavy stuff, since there's still a lot of unresolved grief, but primarily it's just gonna be pure and unadulterated Star Wars adventure.

_Oya, vode._


	40. Comes the Hurricane

3 years later

Mygeeto, Outer Rim

3 years ABY

"Your target is a man named Mel Atono. He's a one-time deathstick dealer with a hand in every illegal enterprise in the books. Spice, narcotics, weapons, you name it. Two standard weeks ago, we intercepted a communique from one of the feuding factions here on Mygeeto to Atono. The message was vague, left out critical details, but once decrypted, we managed to gather that they're planning on buying a large quantity of something. No idea what."

A jet-black t-visor stared into a holographic projection of the man in question, a thickly-built, pale-skinned Umbaran with a scar running down through one of his ultra-sensitive eyes. A pair of dark blue ones narrowed behind the visor. _Well that's creepy. As if Umbarans needed anything else to help them scare the _osik_ out of people._

Slowly, the visored man turned his head toward his briefer. "So what am I doing in all this?"

"You—" the man pulled a datacard from his terminal, "—are going to find and apprehend Atono before the deal, bring him here. We need to get the whole story about that buy, and who else is involved." He held out the datacard.

Xel Caden barely glanced at his hand before snatching up the card and tucking it into a pouch at his belt. "For thirty thousand credits, you've got a deal."

The man's eyes widened. "Whoa…_thirty_? No, no, no, I'm not going any higher than ten."

The hunter let out an audible sigh as he pulled the chip from his pocket, dangling it in his hand. "Do they teach haggling to corporate police?" He tossed the chip into the man's chest with an air of disgust. "Because you _suck_ at it." Xel turned for the door, halted when his client spoke again.

"Wait! I can give you fifteen, but no more."

Xel turned his head halfway, then snorted audibly and kept walking.

"Twenty! All right, twenty-five, that's_ it_, take it or leave it."

The Mando stopped halfway through the door, turning his head to glare at the lieutenant. "If you could afford to leave it and hire someone else, you would've thrown me out of your office as soon as I disagreed on the fee." He turned his body to face him as well. "But you didn't. And obviously, your own police force can't track this guy down, otherwise you wouldn't have called for a hunter in the first place, so…" he leaned toward the cop, "thirty thousand. Not a credit more or less. You want professional perfection? Gotta be willing to pay."

The man sweated bullets for a few more seconds before heaving a loud sigh. "Fine." He slumped back into his chair. "Thirty thousand it is."

Smiling behind his faceplate, Xel strode over to the desk and snatched up the card. "Much obliged, officer." He tipped his helmet on the way out. "Put this out of your mind. You'll have him in your grasp soon."

…

3 years ago

The Kandosii'tal, Athiss

1 week ABY

"Approaching the surface now, sir."

The fifteen-year-old Mando rolled his eyes and grinned at the nav computer as he stepped through the door of the cockpit and seated himself at the pilot's station. "Tee, how many times have I told you to drop the whole 'sir' thing?"

"Exactly two hundred and eighty six times, sir," the computer answered flatly. "But who's counting?"

Xel chuckled and shook his head, taking the ship off autopilot and grasping the yoke with both hands as the tops of the trees in a massive, continent-spanning forest became visible underneath a thin canopy of clouds. The moment he found a clearing, he brought the ship into a gently curved descent, hovering in place for a moment before lowering it to the ground with a hydraulic whine. Taking a deep breath, he released it slowly, then stood and retrieved his helmet from the dashboard.

"Captain ashore," he drawled with laughter in his tone. "I'll be back, Tee, but in case I don't return in three hours, I want you to take off and head back to Mandalore, send a message to Teras informing him of the situation. He'll know what to do."

"Of course, _vod_. Be safe."

"Do my best."

Xel made for the exit ramp, lowering it onto the leaf-strewn ground, its impact muffled by the bed of dead foliage beneath. He took a long whiff of the forest, the woody scent filling his sinuses and causing him to close his eyes to take it all in. When they opened, he stepped off the ramp and hit the release button of the ramp, raising it into the ship. His helmet hissed into place as he strode into the woods, the tall eaves of the trees towering over two hundred feet above him. Scattered leaves fell around him, bouncing off his armor and outstretched palm, his breathing deep and even as he opened the filters of his helmet.

A mile was trekked through rough paths among hills and valleys, all forested, all blending together to the naked eye, but very different in the Force, a steady tug pulling him toward a certain region of the forest. Just ten minutes after he'd began, Xel reached a large clearing, sunlight streaming through the leafy canopy and casting a golden haze over his armor. He came to a stop right in the middle, taking a deep breath, in no particular hurry. The boy slowly kneeled, digging his gloved fingers into the leaf bed beneath his feet as his eyes closed.

His brows drew together tightly as subtle currents of Force energy swirled around him, his senses stirring with a mass of unknown intents until he felt the familiar pang of a mental shove. Dark blue eyes flew open with purpose, his body flying into a backward roll as someone's leg flew through the space where his head had been at inhuman speed. A whistling was heard from his left, and he leapt to his right, spinning midair to land with three points of contact, his hand dragging on the leafy ground to slow him to a skidding stop as another figure landed in a crouch where he had just stood. With a quick glance around, he got a decent look at both assailants, both physically and in the Force. Their training and power were evident, their intent clear and hostile.

Xel's eyes narrowed behind his helmet as his free hand closed into a fist, a nudge from the Force causing him to channel it into his legs and leap straight upward, not even bothering to ignite his jetpack as his fingers wrapped around a horizontal branch, swinging him into a flip that landed him in a perch atop the branch. His attackers were quick to follow—and multiply. Where two had been just a few seconds earlier, there were now four, all moving at incredible speeds and zeroing in on him. Tightening his jaw, he leapt for one in a preemptive strike, his first punch caught and countered with a hook to the side of his helmet.

The Mando snapped his head toward the blow, the impact rattling him but doing far more damage to the hand that hit him. Yelping in pain, the man was shoved into a passing branch, the air leaving him in a whoosh as Xel landed on another horizontal arm in a perfect crouch. Two new hooded figures dropped in on either side, prompting the Mando to keep moving. He leapt from one branch to the next, angling himself away from the group and toward a hanging vine as they leapt for him from either side.

They followed his swing with their own, flying punches and kicks coming from every angle. He twisted and shifted vines several times, swinging at them wildly. Impacts to his head, chest, and limbs kept multiplying despite his best efforts. In a fit of anger, he released a burst of power with the Force and bowled one out of the air mid-strike. Her falling body was caught by another swinging attacker, causing Xel to snarl and keep moving. He landed on a thick horizontal branch, another landing to his left. He whirled to face him, blocking and redirecting lightning-fast blows with significant difficulty.

It was like trying to catch the rain with his hand, and every time he blinked, he got hit. Impacts started coming from behind, and yelps of half pain, half anger were torn from his throat as he leapt straight upward in a corkscrew maneuver. Xel triggered his jetpack, gaining some distance between himself and them. Or so he thought. Before two seconds had passed, he was tackled from behind by a massive human, who disabled his jetpack with some sort of handheld ion disruptor, causing both of them to plummet toward the ground.

Xel twisted his body, elbowing the man in the head solidly and breaking his grip before kicking off. He misjudged his vector, though, and slammed into a tree at his back, a moment of panic setting in when his jetpack stopped working. His head shook hard as he kept falling, right hand reaching over to fire his grappling hook at a branch that served as the pivot of a pendulum to slow him down. Unfortunately, the arc of his pendulum was far too long, and he braced himself when the ground rushed up to meet him at an angle.

He impacted the leafy forest floor hard, rolling rapidly to mitigate the damage but feeling bruises form all over his body as he came to a stop. Groaning softly, he pushed himself upright, tensing when several muffled impacts sounded around him, one robed figure after the next dropping in a circle around the Mando. In seconds, he found himself utterly surrounded by at least eight of them, and let out another low groan.

_I don't have the strength for this._

Heaving a sigh, Xel snarled and reached to the right of his belt, a _beskar_ cylinder dropping into his palm. He hefted it with both hands, a sapphire blade leaping from it with a ringing _snap-hiss_ as he dragged out a feral screech.

None of the figures even twitched.

That is, until they all reached for their belts. A moment later, Xel's jaw dropped as far as it could go as he was greeted by blue, green, orange, gold, and even red blades, one held by each figure. A new guardian emerged from behind a cluster of bushes, a shorter and obviously female figure who also reached for her belt, igniting a silver-edged blade and cocking her head at him slightly. In the waning light cast by Athiss' setting sun, Xel could see part of what was under the hoods, and suddenly understood why no defining features had been present.

Silver, black, bronze, and gold masks adorned the entirety of each fighter's face, plates of various matching types and grades of armor visible against the backdrop of their tunics and robes. Silver-blade gave him a look, the glint of her golden eyes seen in the light of the sunset as they roved over his frame critically.

"You," she said sharply, her mask-altered tone leaving no room for discussion as she pointed her blade at him. "Surrender."

Xel took a long breath as he looked around him, head tipping down. His thumb hit the switch of his saber, powering it off. "I didn't come here looking for a fight."

Golden-eyes cocked her head again, thumbing her own saber off as she strode toward him. "What then, hunter?"

He gave her a look behind his own helmet. "I don't know exactly. I was…invited."

She paced around him. "And yet not every invitation prompts a man like yourself to travel dozens of parsecs to the middle of nowhere."

"A man like me?" he snarled. "You don't know anything _about_ me."

"Really?" She came to a stop in front of him, eyes half-lidded. "I know that you're dangerous, well-armed, and strong in the force, just from your brief encounter with the perimeter guard. I know you have a ship, probably as well-outfitted as you are, stashed somewhere nearby." She took a step toward him, voice growing quiet. "And I know that you're putting on a strong front…because you're afraid."

He tensed.

Her head tilted sideways. "But not of me…or any of us, for that matter."

Xel recoiled a step, breathing becoming labored.

She blinked hard, taking a deep breath. "Be still, Mandalorian. You're safe here. For now."

The woman glanced at the other guards, nodding to one of them, the tall humanoid with a green lightsaber. He shuffled off out of sight.

"Who exactly was this invitation from?"

Xel dragged himself from a mild stupor to answer the question. "Alen Li-am. As I understand it, he's a student here."

Her eyes flickered with surprise that not even that mask could hide. "Alen?" she asked with a note of familiarity. "Why would he summon you?"

"He didn't summon me," Xel bit out. He shuffled uncomfortably. "He _invited_ me…because he felt I could be trusted."

"Why?"

Xel's jaw tightened. "Because we're family."

Golden-eyes tensed up.

"Alen is my brother."

Even Xel's significantly dulled Force senses picked up on the ripple of shock that flowed through the crowd.

…

Present

Mygeeto

The last two hours had been spent calling in favors and getting a feel for the freezing industrial world. According to every source and contact he'd managed to shake down, Mygeeto was a crate of liquid Tibanna just asking for a spark. Two factions had arisen on opposite sides of an economic conflict; not yet escalated to armed conflict, but getting closer by the day. The only thing he could think that someone like Atono could want with a planet like this was a weapons deal to arm one or both sides. Civil wars were always the perfect hunting ground for scum like him.

At present, he was exiting a cantina on a particularly windy plateau overlooking Jygat, Mygeeto's primary urban settlement. A cloaked figure bumped into him as he walked out the door, muttering a soft apology as he turned his armored head to face her. A flash of red hair was all he saw before she melded into the tapcaf's unremarkable crowd. A dismissive grunt came from his throat as he reached down to his belt and retrieved a holocommunicator. It powered on moments later, the chiseled face of a slightly older man greeting him with a small smile.

"I was glad to get your call."

Xel smirked behind his faceplate. "Sure you're not just saying that because of your sister?"

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Don't start, okay? Kae's been absolutely insufferable since that business on Alzoc III." He gave Xel a look. "And you better not be grinning behind that helmet, you hear?"

"Who, me? I would never." Xel was barely restraining laughter. "But onto other matters. Did you look into the matter I mentioned?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. Those shipments you mentioned? Plasteel and diatium? Yeah, both diverted to a manufacturing plant on Mechis III for weapons production, like you said."

"And then?"

He shrugged. "I lost track. And that never happens. Wherever those blasters went, your boy Atono doesn't want anyone pokin' around. Especially not Imperials."

Xel frowned. "Naturally not. The InterGalactic Banking Clan runs Mygeeto, and if they get yanked into conflict with the Empire, it's gonna mean significant economic upheaval for the whole galaxy. As long as Atono keeps his business on the down-low, the Imps can't afford to send troops in without risking that. As far as they're concerned, anything that breaks out will stay an in-house matter."

He snorted. "Imperial bastards."

Xel tabbed through his datapad with narrowed eyes. "Can't say I blame them. It's the same reason Coruscant security agents aren't sent after fugitive criminals in Hutt space. You don't step into the rancor's den unless you know you can win. This ain't one of those times." He sighed. "Anyway, I'm headed into Jygat. Picked up a lead on one of Atono's suppliers, could be worth a look."

"Got it. Good luck, Xel. May the Force be with you."

"Roger that." The holocom powered off. "_Shab_."

Ten minutes later found him entering a hovertram headed for the city, with a nagging feeling tugging at the back of his head. He put a hand to the forehead of his helmet, slapping the side of it a few times to clear his head. Dark blue eyes blinked hard, drifting shut after a few moments as his head tilted sideways. Unconsciously, he turned his body toward one side of the tram, eyes opening a moment later as they locked onto a single figure.

Wisps of red hair drifted from that same dark brown hood.

Suspicion set in his blood as he turned away, making for the car just forward of them. A set of soft, light footsteps followed him through the door into a maintenance cabin just through the first hatch. She stepped through about five seconds after him, her right arm snatched and twisted as he slammed her against a wall, pinning her neck with his right forearm.

"Who are you?" he growled. "Why are you following me?" Xel eased up the pressure on his forearm just slightly, allowing her to take a deep breath.

"Tari Lenaeus," she coughed. "Golan Arms Investigative Services." She slowly reached into her pocket and retrieved an identichip.

Xel slowly dragged his eyes over to the chip and inspected it. "You're a cop." He let her down from the wall.

Tari coughed several times, pulling back her hood to relieve more of the restriction on her breathing. "A corporate cop, but yes."

His head cocked slightly. "You still didn't answer my second question."

"Look, I'm out here for exactly the same reasons as you."

"Oh?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Her lips pursed, a pair of piercing green eyes roving over his armored form. "A large shipment of our weapons went missing from a processing plant on Mechis III. Using company records and forged release documents, I was able to track that shipment here." She brushed herself off and pulled out a datapad. "When I heard local security had hired a bounty hunter to hunt down my suspect, I decided to find out what you knew."

"Which, evidently, isn't much more than you." Xel gave her a wary look. _Something off about this girl_.

Indeed, she was far younger than a corporate detective had any business being. But then, who was he to talk? Eighteen and far more experienced than most hunters twice his age. Or maybe it was the red hair and green eyes, reminders of an old friend much the same as this Tari. Head shaking slightly, he refocused.

"Nevertheless," she said, "I think it would be in both of our best interests to work together on this."

Xel gave her a long look. "While I appreciate the offer, Ms. Lenaeus, I work alone. You have your methods, I have mine, and never the two shall meet."

"Why?" she asked as he turned back to the passenger car. "Because you think your methods are less legal than mine?"

He came up short, looking over his shoulder to see her smirking.

"Trust me, Mr. Caden. We have more in common than you realize."

He opened his mouth to reply the moment the tram shuddered violently. A second later, the side of the passenger car blew off, sending cold air and a feeling of profound dread through everyone still aboard.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Xel glanced around at the half-dozen saber-wielding Force-users boxing him in as he was led through the forest. He eventually turned to the silver-blade, who was marching right next to him.

"I never caught your name."

She glanced in his direction. "Nor I yours, hunter."

He shrugged. "Fair enough." He reached up and popped the seal on his helmet, tucking it against his side as his empty hand outstretched. "Xel Caden."

The woman glanced at the appendage, taking a breath, then pulling off her own mask and hood to reveal a flowing dirty blonde mane and features that sent him reeling. She couldn't have been much older than he was, if at all, and yet the aura of danger and maturity that had surrounded her was almost palpable. She shook his hand with a gentle but firm grip.

"Kael Dansen."

His lips twitched upward slightly. "A pleasure, despite the…less than warm welcome."

She gave him a look. "Look at it from our point of view. A man in full Mandalorian armor walks into our forest packing enough firepower to slaughter dozens in a single stroke. What would you have done?"

"On Mandalore?" He snorted a quiet laugh. "I'd have congratulated him on his kit and offered him _ne'tra gal_."

Kael rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Of course you would." She gave him another once-over. "You know, Alen mentioned we would be getting a visitor. You're just not what we expected."

Xel frowned and gave her a look. "Wait…he didn't specifically mention it would be his brother?"

Her head shook slowly.

The Mando snorted and shook his head. "Figures."

"What does?"

"Nothing. Just…some things I need to sort out with my dear brother."

Kael gave him a sideways look before turning back toward the forest path and brushing a hanging vine aside. "You're on…difficult terms?"

"Yeah, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't pry so much."

"I'm sorry," she said genuinely. "It's just…he's my friend, and I want to make sure I'm not lighting a Tibanna keg."

Xel snorted. "If he didn't think he could handle seeing me, he never would've reached out. I mean, he hasn't for the last month."

"And are you two close?"

His expression darkened, lips pressed into a thin line as his voice dropped to a rough whisper. "We used to be."

She gave him a long frown, brows furrowed, before pushing through a dense cluster of foliage into a clearing.

Xel's jaw dropped unabashedly at the sight before him: high, tan stone walls with massive statues and glyphs scattered about. Small houses and huts constructed of wood and clay dotted the landscape of a circularly-walled compound of multiple levels, each tier holding more advanced buildings. The screech and whine of lightsabers sounded in the distance, from a thin pillar of smoke on the fifth tier of the compound. Dozens of people milled about, of all species, ages, and sizes. Xel's Force senses, however dulled from disuse, were practically throbbing with the amount of Force energy in this place, not present in all of those present, but enough to make him reel in amazement.

_I don't believe this._

Kael smirked knowingly. "Welcome, Xel Caden…to the Gray Academy."

…

Present

Mygeeto

The moment Xel punched the rear hatch open, he was acutely aware of the passenger car's rapid decompression, most of the passengers holding onto rails or whatever anchors they could get their hands on. As the Mandalorian quickly ran through what to do, the roar of repulsorlift engines sounded from above, and four armed figured rappelled into the massive hole in the car's hull. Dark blue eyes widened when he saw the patches on their right shoulders, indicative of the Hydian Stars, one of the two factions on Mygeeto.

Stretching out with the Force, he perceived a heightened sense of malevolence from all four of them a moment before they raised their weapons toward the passengers. Two blaster shots rang out from behind him, causing him to glance back and see Tari opening up on the squad, fire blazing in her green eyes. Xel's own eyes rolled as he turned back to the car and triggered his jetpack, bowling one of the attackers over and plugging another in the chest with a quick shot.

Evidently, they hadn't expected anyone to fight back, as their efforts were uncoordinated and staggered. And they were certainly no military. Hired thugs, he'd wager, or bored miners who had nothing better to do. Either way, they were needlessly putting innocents in danger, and neither he nor Tari could allow that. Three of the four were ruthlessly slain, the one Xel had tackled going for his blaster but finding his hands encased in shock cuffs before he could get halfway there. The man, a Devaronian, was wide-eyed and terrified, and acquiesced quickly.

"What are you doing here?!" Xel demanded, his unyielding faceplate adding extra umph to his growling tone.

The man just stared at him, twitching slightly for a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head and he went limp.

"Son of a—really?"

Huffing, Xel rolled his eyes and dumped him on the ground, noting that the air pressure in the car had finally stabilized. When the tram shuddered violently, though, he knew something was off, and rushed toward the hole to check the outside of the vehicle. What he saw was _decidedly_ not good. The mag-lev hovertram was ricketing on its tracks, dangerously close to going off the rails. And if the rear section came off while connected to the rest, there was no doubt it would drag the rest of the tram with it.

Cursing in _Mando'a_, he made for the maintenance car ahead and pushed through the rushing wind to see Tari and a man dressed in a maintenance uniform bent over a control panel.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

The man glanced at him surprisedly, speaking up. "The magnetic field generator's been damaged, and with the significant drag being caused by that hole in the back, it's just a matter of time before it fails completely. We're gonna derail any second."

Xel's lips pursed. "Is there any way to fix it?"

Tari's head shook. "Not in the time we have. The ray shield generators this thing has for situations just like this are inoperable, so we can't seal the breach." She stood up. "What's worse, the hatch between this car and the next is jammed and magnetically sealed, so we can't evacuate these people or decouple the car."

"Maybe I could, from the other side. I could jetpack up there, find a way to get that door open."

The engineer shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Xel nodded and stormed toward the hole, noting that the Devaronian was still out cold and triggering his jetpack as soon as he reached the point. Being out in the clear, crisp air as opposed to the tram's smoke and spark-ridden interior was like a breath of fresh air, but the moment he looked down, the grimness of the situation hit him like a meteor. His boots touched down on the far front of the maintenance car just moments before the entire tram listed to one side, nearly throwing him loose.

A quick snap of his hand to a rail on his left allowed him to steady himself and pull back toward the jammed door. He scowled when he saw the control panel, which had been completely fried and the internal wiring rendered inoperable. The only hope for these people was to cut the door open, but he couldn't without potentially exposing himself. All the same, it was common enough for Mandos to be seen with their trophies, so he decided it was worth the risk. Reaching to the hardcase at his right, he ignited his lightsaber and plunged it through the door, moving as quickly as possible with the magnetic field around the door fighting him at every step.

About twenty seconds later, he'd cut a sizable hole in the door and kicked it down, causing a massive backdraft to push through the car. Surprisingly enough, its condition seemed less critical once the hole was made, since now air flow was coming from two different directions, and the front hole was creating a continuous wind tunnel between itself and the first one. Pressures on the rear, and therefore the chances of the car destabilizing, were significantly reduced.

Tari gave him and his glowing blade a look before he thumbed it off and returned it to its case, the engineer already having started to move the passengers toward the front of the tram. Xel himself rushed into the rear car and grabbed the still-unconscious Devaronian, hauling him onto his shoulders and carrying him toward the exit. Between the reduced pressure and increases in power to the magnetic field system on the rear car, the tram was stabilized long enough to evacuate the rear car, every passenger making it to the next one up. A single blaster shot to the coupling system was enough to disengage the rear car.

The sound of repulsor engines returned, however, and Xel snarled as he shifted his attention outside.

"Hold this," he ordered, handing the Devaronian off to Tari.

"Hey!" she protested, watching as he leapt from the rear and triggered his jetpack.

_Well _that's_ new._

Flying just above the tram was an old repaired and repainted LAAT/i Republic transport with most of its weapons detached. Its spherical side cannons, however, had been replaced by swiveling turbolasers he was sure weren't legal. At the moment, those turrets were homing in on the tram's lower section. He raised his gauntlets and flexed his hands, firing two wrist rockets that slammed into the craft's undersection and tore sizable holes there. Nevertheless, the craft stayed airborne and fired twice into the lower half of the tram. Even from this angle, he could see it was much worse than last time, and pressed a button on his belt before refocusing on the transport.

Flying in through one of the holes, Xel slammed into one of the terrorists head-first, side-kicking another out one of the hatches, then spinning around to plug a third with a double-tap to the chest. The hatch to the cockpit was disposed of when Xel shot the locking mechanism, and the pilot was grabbed by the collar and hoisted from his seat. The Mando dragged him to the side hatch and triggered his jetpack as the transport started to roll haphazardly. The explosion of its impact was, thankfully, contained to an empty plateau, but the situation on the tram was much more dire.

Already, he could see the magnetic field starting to destabilize, and dropped the pilot as soon as he touched down inside.

"Tari, ideas?"

She just stared at him with pursed lips as the entire structure shuddered.

"The rear system is failing!" the engineer shouted.

A loud beep sounded in Xel's helmet, causing a smile to spread over his features as he turned to the engineer. "How much further to the next station?"

He shrugged, almost panicked. "I don't know, two or three miles at _least_?"

"Perfect." Caden made for the rear.

"Whoa," Tari shouted, "wait, where are you going?"

He paused in the doorway for barely a moment. "To get you a new repulsor system."

His statement was punctuated by the roar of a massive starship, the visage of a recently painted Kuat Heavy Striker filling the doorway. Xel leapt from the tram a moment later, jetpacking to the ship and touching down at its top hatch. He entered the cockpit seconds later and mounted into the pilot's seat with practiced ease.

"Thanks for getting here so quickly, Tor."

A black and dark green-armored droid with a t-visor and extensively overlocking plates of armor turned its head to face him. "I learned punctuality from you, _vod_."

"And don't ever forget it," Xel replied absently as he brought the _Kandosii'tal_ into a shallow climb, punching the engines and getting the ship centered over the tram's rearmost car. "Tor, I want you to analyze the track's pattern and plot a course to follow it precisely."

"May I ask why?"

Xel smirked behind his faceplate. "Because we're gonna be that thing's new engine. Ready the docking clamps."

Tor complied without a word as his mechanical hands flew over the controls at rapid speeds. A powerful electromagnet on the bottom of the ship began to charge as Xel slowly lowered the ship toward the tram.

"Steady…steady…"

The scrape of metal against metal was heard.

"Now!"

Tor punched a glowing white key, releasing the locks on the electromagnet and causing it to emit a powerful field that anchored the _Kandosii'tal _to the doomed tram.

"Take over!" Xel shouted, releasing the ship's controls as the former Purge Trooper piloted the ship. The Mando boy leapt out the top hatch and down into the tram. "Everyone calm down! My ship is currently slave to the tram and countering the damaged repulsor systems by compensating with its own. With any luck, we'll reach the station without further incident."

A profound feeling of relief washed over the crowd as they slumped into their seats. Tari gave the ship a strange look, then turned to Xel.

"Who's flying that thing? I mean, the path of this tram isn't exactly easy to follow."

Xel grinned. "That would be my copilot, Ne'tra Tor."

She arched a red eyebrow. "Strange name."

He snorted. "Not if you're Mandalorian." The hunter looked over to the Devaronian and the pilot, who were both cuffed together and under guard of the tram's security personnel. _I go investigating a man looking to arm a war, and a team of insurgents from one of his potential customers attacks_ my _tram? Coincidence isn't an option here_. He crouched a short distance from them, his t-visor staring them down, voice lowering to a near-growl. "Now…you and I are gonna have a little chat."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"And this is where we grow everything we need to stay operational. Aside from a few power needs for the heaters and lighting, we're completely self-sufficient."

Xel couldn't believe his eyes, even after nearly ten minutes of this tour. "How is it you've never been discovered?"

Kael smirked. "That we owe to Master Fenrim."

"I take it he's the leader of your bunch?"

She winced. "Leader is putting it strongly. He prefers the word 'teacher.' We're left, by and large, to manage our own affairs, but when it comes to matters of the Force, we go to him. And everyone here looks up to him, no matter their past or what walk of life they come from."

Xel grunted absently, taking and releasing a deep breath. "And what's _your_ role here?" he asked without facing her. "You obviously have a pretty major one, since you're the one giving the tour."

Kael snorted and crossed her arms. "You think tour duty is major?"

He looked over at her appraisingly. "No, I think bringing an unknown into not only the critical parts of your camp, but near your women, children, and future means that you have confidence in your abilities. Not to mention that your lightsaber hasn't been more than six inches from either hand during our entire conversation." His head cocked slightly. "That and the fact that the rest of the guards saw fit to leave you alone with me after experiencing how dangerous I am speaks volumes about how much they trust you." He waved at the people around him. "How they _all_ trust you."

Her lips parted slightly, a dumbstruck look on her face. A smirk tugged at her lips after a few seconds. "Yep." She grinned and tapped her chin. "I definitely see where he gets it from."

Xel gave her a confused look. "Where who gets what?"

Kael strode past him and shook her head.

He followed behind. "What?"

Suddenly, he stopped short, slowly turning his head to see a brown-haired young man perched on a tree branch. Narrowed silver eyes watched him like a hawk-bat, his features mostly hidden by a dark gray hood, but enough present to show tension and mistrust. Xel just stared back, features hardened, until he heard a gentle sigh from his left.

"Ignore him, Xel."

The Mando blinked rapidly and gave Kael a quizzical look as they resumed moving. "Who was that?"

Her golden eyes rolled. "Oh, that jackass? Just my brother."

He shivered slightly. "Yeesh. Where does he get off acting like that?"

"It's nothing personal." Her mirth faded. "He's just very…guarded. He's had to be."

Xel sensed a story behind that, but remained silent until they went through a short stone tunnel. Upon entering the clearing, the screech of clashing lightsabers intensified, and he turned to see two robed and hooded students going at it in a circle, others watching from the outside as Xel started to do the same. The duel was fairly evenly matched, but even without using the Force, Xel could tell that one of the combatants, wielding a blue lightsaber, was holding back. When his opponent saw an opening and lunged for it, blue-saber dropped into a crouch and deactivated his blade.

The crouching fighter grabbed the charging student's outstretched wrist and flipped him over his shoulder, twisting his wrist in the same motion and disarming him in one fluid motion. His saber ignited a moment later as he stood upright, its tip just a few inches from his opponent's throat.

Xel's eyes narrowed. _Wait a minute_…

"Your form is excellent, but you try to expose weaknesses without thinking. Your opponent will not always be as vulnerable as you presume, and if they're smart enough, they can use your exploitative style against you through feints."

The student pulled back his hood and bowed after climbing to his feet. His opponent deactivated his lightsaber and bowed back. When he made for the edge of the circle, he came up short and turned his head toward the newly arrived Mando. He was still as a statue for just a moment before his hood was pulled back to reveal ice blue eyes and brown hair. He strode toward Xel with slow, measured steps, glancing at Kael for barely a split-second before returning to the Mando. He stopped just four feet from the pair and stared at Xel, whose jaw tightened for a moment.

"Well…" Alen gave his brother a once-over before returning to his eyes. His lips twitched. "It's about damn time."

Xel blinked hard a moment before he was pulled into a crushing embrace, a mixture of shock and relief flowing through him as he felt a rush of elation from his brother.

"It is _so_ good to see you," Alen said when he finally pulled away. "You don't even know."

Caden smiled sheepishly and looked down. "I have a few ideas."

Alen just shook his head and laughed again, smacking his brother on the back and curling an arm around his shoulders. "In case Kael didn't give you the warmest welcome—" he winked at the girl, "—welcome to Athiss."

…

Present

Mygeeto

"I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions, and I'd like them answered _immediately_."

"Go to hell."

Xel smirked behind his helmet. "Already been. Not in a huge hurry to go back." He paused a moment. "The Hydian Stars. What are they after?"

The pair exchanged a look before turning back to him. "What?" the Devaronian asked.

Caden's eyes narrowed. "Your faction, the Stars. What do they want?"

Silence was his only answer, but a mild probe in the Force revealed only confusion, not reticence.

"He asked you a question," Tari said sharply, "and you _will_ answer."

Xel blinked hard as his Force senses lit up suddenly, eyes flickering to the woman at his side and narrowing. _I've got a bad feeling about this…_

The Devaronian flinched hard and opened his mouth. "We're not a part of the Hydian Stars."

Xel's attention snapped back to the terrorists. "What do you mean?"

"We work for a man named Mel Atono. Arms dealer. He instructed us to attack this tram, make it look like local aggression."

"Hoping to start a civil war and profit off the conflict," Tari finished.

The Devaronian nodded.

Xel jerked the alien's collar, their faces inches apart. "Where can we find him?"

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"When I felt your presence in-atmosphere, I almost didn't believe it."

"What, you didn't think I'd take your invitation?"

Alen shrugged as they walked the grounds. "To be honest, no, I didn't. After the way I left…and didn't communicate for so long, I figured you thought I'd abandoned you."

Xel's head shook. "I'd never think that of you, _vod_. I know the kind of man you are. And even if I did…I wouldn't have blamed you for abandoning me. After what I did, I would've abandoned me too."

Alen gave him a long look. "I don't know about that. The way you see family…I think you'd be hard-pressed to let go so easily."

Caden smirked and huffed. "Here's hoping we never have to find out."

"Roger that," Alen agreed. "Ah, here we are."

The Jedi pushed a canvas flap away from the opening of a small hut, the inside dark but strangely cozy and warm, a small fire lit from a pilot light in one corner of the one-room dwelling.

"What do you think?"

Xel looked around with an assessing eye, shrugging and nodding slowly. "It's decent. Not the surroundings I'm used to, but decent. And probably something like I'd find on Mandalore or Dxun." He looked back to his brother. "Still prefer the inside of a ship though, and not just for the climate control." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the thick, earthy scent of this place. "Something about…starship oil and the smell of metal is…comforting."

Alen leaned against a wall and crossed his arms. "You sure it's not just _your_ ship? I mean, you've spent a decent portion of your life aboard that thing. Lot of memories attached to it."

Xel shrugged. "That's true. Maybe." His smile faded. "But something tells me you didn't call me here to discuss home preferences." He turned to Alen. "Why _did_ you?"

Alen's lips pursed. "Because…you need to let go."

Caden frowned. "I've been trying."

The Jedi straightened up and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know. I've felt it, on occasion, but you're still not all there. And you won't be, not without help."

"So you think you can help me?"

"Not…exactly. At least, not just me. Master Fenrim, the man who founded this place, he's an expert on all things behavioral. His mastery of the Force is only rivaled by how much he cares about his students, and if you were to stay, I'm sure he could help you come to terms with…everything that's happened."

Xel turned away and leaned one arm against a wall, staring off into the distance.

"I know how you feel about 'mystics' or whatever, but Xel…isn't it at least worth a try?"

The Mando closed his eyes, the darkness instantly replaced by explosions of light and fire, his ears filled with the screams of thousands. He opened them again, coming back to reality. "Yes," he replied quietly. "Yes, I suppose it is."

…

Present

Mygeeto

Xel's face had been put into a virtually permanent frown since he and Tari had left the tram and the two mercenaries in local hands. At present, they were headed for a warehouse in the lower industrial district of Jygat, but along the way, Xel turned into an abandoned building.

"Sorry, I thought the industrial district was that way." Tari pointed toward the road they had just left.

"Shortcut," Xel answered, taking them deeper into the building. They passed through two more doorways before he came to an abrupt stop, Tari nearly bumping into him. The Mando turned around to see her confused expression, a frown creasing his forehead as he pulled his helmet off. He could hear her sharp intake of breath at his age, as well as the pale scar running horizontally over his left cheekbone. "If we're gonna be working together, Ms. Lenaeus, we need to be honest with each other."

She gave him a confused look. "Okay?"

He drew a step closer, setting his helmet on a dusty desk nearby. "Why are you hiding yourself?"

Tari blinked hard, shaking her head. "I don't understand. I'm right here."

Xel's jaw worked. "More accurately…" his expression hardened, "why are you hiding yourself in the Force?"

Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Almost. "I—I don't understand."

Caden shrugged. "Okay. Let me put this another way."

In the blink of an eye, Xel drew his right pistol and shoved it in her face—or at least attempted to. Halfway out of his holster, she grabbed his wrist with both hands and twisted it hard, the pair grappling for a moment before she spun and wheel-kicked the blaster from his hands. Tari came in with several lightning-fast punches that impacted his chest and joints rather painfully. Xel easily worked through it and deflected her next combo, managing to get a hit on her gut and grab an incoming cross to throw her over his shoulder.

She rolled on impact with the ground and melded into a series of backward tumbles that ended with a full backflip, landing in a perfect stance as Xel spun toward her and drew his other blaster. He leveled his sights on her the moment she was on the ground, and they both froze as tension filled the air. Dark blue eyes narrowed.

"Who are you, really? Because you're not Golan Arms." Xel's grip around his left blaster tightened. "You don't learn those kinds of skills working for a corporation."

The woman looked at him blankly for a few moments before the slight fear and anxiety in her expression melted into annoyance and a touch of smugness. She sighed hard. "I suppose there's no use now." She shrugged. "As you wish then. Masks off. My name—" her hand dipped to the back of her belt, "—is Mara Jade."

_Snap-hiss_.

A brilliant magenta blade shot from a metal cylinder in her right hand, green eyes and red hair blazing with a deadly fire as she sized him up and Xel's mouth went dry.

"But you may address me as the Emperor's Hand."

The Mando just stared at her for a while, rather blankly. "Well…_shab_." He sighed heavily. "That complicates things."

* * *

AN: *cue Star Wars opening title music*

It's been a long, long time, but now, finally…I—have—returned. Not sure just how much I'll be able to output in the days to come, but after I saw The Force Awakens—which is flipping amazing, even to an uber fan like me that didn't approve of the decanonization of the EU—I got a burst of creative energy that enabled me to finally finish the chapter I've been working on for the last five months.

This season will be a lot of skipping around and time gaps. I went too all-out with filler the last two seasons, and that was a mistake because I started to lose steam too quickly. I'm not gonna have my once-a-week release time. With college and everything, it's just not realistic, but I will say that I'm gonna do my best to finish a story arc in as little time after it begins as possible. As you're well aware, each chapter I output is typically fairly self-contained, like a story in itself, but this season is gonna be a little different, involve several multi-part arcs.

Season 3 will also be littered with copious flashbacks, like you've already seen, since I don't want to have to explain every bit of the 3 years Xel was away, but want to fill in some of the gaps all the same. If you've ever seen _Arrow_, this is kind of like that. As for the polling data, I've taken every suggestion and decision into account. After this arc, I'm going to be addressing one of the parties you guys chose as the top five, and then we'll see what happens from there. I'm thinking either one or two more chapters for this one, and then I'll move on.

I really hope you enjoyed this intro to season 3 and are looking forward to more. This season may or may not close out the story, depending on how much time I decide to pass between arcs, but I really want to move onto my second story ASAP. This? This whole thing was just an introduction to that, in my opinion. Or, at least, that's how I'd intended it. Next story, and the tail end of this one, is where the fun begins.

For now, enjoy and please leave your comments.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake

P.S.: I promise that not all my author's notes will be this long.

Musical Inspirations:

Star Wars: Republic Commando – Rage of the Shadow Warriors: Ambush on Athiss/surrounded by sabers.


	41. The Emperor's Hand

Mygeeto

3 years ABY

The hum of an ignited lightsaber filled the room for a long time as the two warriors stared each other down.

"So," Xel said, finally breaking the silence, "Vader finally got around to tracking me down."

"Mara's" head cocked slightly, eyes narrowing. "I think you misheard me. I am the _Emperor's_ Hand, not Lord Vader's."

Xel snorted. "'Lord Vader.' You say you don't answer to him, and yet when you speak his name, it's like an akk pup getting its leash yanked."

Mara snarled slightly. "Do not mistake respect for servitude. My mission here is my own."

"You'll excuse me if I don't take your word for it."

Her green eyes narrowed. "Look, Caden, I'm here for the exact same reason you are: to stop Mel Atono from starting and supplying a civil war."

"You're lying," Xel spat. "Imperial agents don't care about such trivial matters."

Offense showed in her features. "I beg to differ. If you're referring to the ISB, I couldn't agree more. I, however, am the covert representation of Imperial order, and preventing innocents from being caught in the crossfire of an unnecessary conflict is exactly in my job description."

Surprise flickered in Xel's eyes as he stretched out with the Force. Shab_…she actually kriffing _means_ it._

"And even if it weren't, a civil war here on Mygeeto could potentially disrupt trade and economics on a regional, if not galactic, scale. That is unacceptable."

Xel's head cocked. "So, if I were to, say, lower my blaster, would you come charging across this gap and try to stick that saber in me?"

Mara's lips pursed. "You use the Force, but you're quite obviously not a Jedi."

Caden snorted and smirked.

"What are you then? Some obscure sect of Force-user?"

Xel chuckled lightly and lowered his blaster. "I prefer the term 'Mandalorian Knight.' And I'm the only one."

She gave him a look. "The only one left?"

He snorted. "No. I invented it." Xel turned partway away from her. "So, you never answered my question."

Mara gave him a long look. "You're a bounty hunter, and from the limited research I was able to perform on you after learning you were involved, a damn good one. And you always fulfill your contracts." Her blade lowered and sizzled off. "I can't take down Atono alone, and on a world run by money, I don't know who to trust. Mandalorians, and you in particular, have a reputation for discretion."

Xel's head cocked, a smirk on his face. "You sayin' you want to hire me?"

Her eyes rolled. "I'm saying that you should pursue your original contract, with my assistance."

He arched a black eyebrow. "And you're not gonna stab me in the back?"

"If I'm gonna kill you, it'll be to your face." She clipped her saber to the back of her belt. "So—" she picked up Xel's fallen blaster and held it out handle-first, standing some distance away, "—do we have a deal?"

Xel cocked his head. "So long as you remember that if you _do_ attempt to double-cross me—" his right hand rose and effortlessly summoned the blaster in her hand, holstering both, "—you won't live to regret it." For barely an instant, he deliberately let his restraint slip and his Force presence show fully.

By the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, he could tell she got the message. Mara nodded slowly, wary of him.

"Excellent," he said at last, snatching up his helmet and heading for the exit. He donned the _buy'ce_ and went to the nearest doorway, looking over his shoulder. "Shall we?"

…

3 years ago

Athiss

1 week ABY

"Come here. There's something I have to show you, and then you can judge whether or not staying is worth it."

"Just tell me it's not some temple or whatever."

Alen smirked. "No. It's no temple, though there are plenty of those here on Athiss, and plenty that are worth visiting for one reason or another." He strode past two students bent over a set of lightsaber schematics and toward a bookshelf in the academy's makeshift library. "Ah, here we are." He reached up on the shelf and pulled a large, ornate cube from up high.

"A holocron?"

"Yes, but not just any holocron." He ushered Xel toward a more secluded area of the library, well away from any prying eyes or ears.

They both sat as Xel took a moment to observe the device, an aurodium-plated cube with various gaps and mechanisms within its outer layers alone. When Alen stretched out his hand, it began to shift and move, its parts splitting and opening to levitate just off the ground as a hologram flickered to life between the pieces. A man in armored robes appeared before them, a lightsaber on his left side of his belt and a thin, vertical scar under his left eye.

He smiled warmly, turning to Alen. "Padawan. Good to see you again."

Alen tipped his head slightly. "And you, Master. There's someone I'd like you to meet," he added, pulling on Xel's arm to bring him into the holocron's view.

The hologram's eyes widened significantly, jaw dropping slightly. "Xel?"

A shiver ran through the Mando in question as Alen stared at them both in shock. "How the hell do you know my name?"

The master narrowed his eyes and inspected Xel for another moment. "No…no you're not him."

The brothers exchanged a look, Alen speaking first. "Master, why did you think you knew him?"

The hologram paced. "He reminded me…of someone I knew in my time." His eyes turned back to Xel. "Looks almost exactly like him, save for a scar running past his right eye."

Xel's head shook hard. "Okay, back up, all right? I have no kriffing idea what's going on right now." He pointed at the hologram while turning to his brother. "Who is this guy?"

"This," Alen replied, pursing his lips, "is my namesake."

Caden's eyes widened.

"My ancestor. Jedi Master Alen Li-am. He was the man Mom named me after, lived over 3600 years ago when the Sith Empire invaded the Old Republic."

Xel slowly turned back to the hologram.

"He was the most powerful Jedi of his time, and one of the greatest of _all_ time."

"I—wouldn't go that far," the hologram replied.

Xel snorted. "'Course not. Both of you are such excessively modest _di'kute_. Guess some things stay with a name."

"Or just with being a Jedi," Alen replied.

Caden turned back to the hologram. "Still didn't explain how you knew my name."

The master gave him a long, appraising look. "The Xel Caden I knew was also Mandalorian, and strong in the Force, but we were on opposite sides of the war." He smirked. "Actually managed to capture me once in an attempt to collect on a ten million credit bounty."

Xel's eyebrows shot skyward. "What'd you do to piss off the Empire that badly?"

The master smirked wider. "I killed the Sith Emperor. Or at least _thought _I did." He shrugged. "Thus, they put a bounty on my head and Xel came to collect. A few hours later, he agreed to work with me when he learned about the mission he'd interrupted."

"Strange alliance, I'd think," Xel said.

"Like you wouldn't believe. But deep down, he was a good man, and an honorable warrior. I'd have picked him over many _Jedi_ of my time any day." He looked Xel over. "I suspect my namesake would say the same of you."

Xel's expression darkened as tension filled the room.

"Either way," the hologram said, breaking the silence, "it would appear that the Force has a considerable sense of humor."

"Or just a sense of coincidence," Alen replied. "I mean, what are the chances that a member of Clan Caden and a Jedi in training would end up as brothers, the same as you and yours?"

"It doesn't make any sense, though," Xel interrupted. "My father didn't tell me a lot about his past, but he did say that he wasn't born Mandalorian. How could he have been related to this other Xel if that were the case?"

The hologram shrugged. "War is the one constant in this galaxy. It's entirely possible that a descendant of his was orphaned before he could discover his Mandalorian roots."

"I suppose, but the chances that our two bloodlines would cross over millennia in the future are…"

"Impossible?" the hologram asked. "Come on, you should know by now that impossible isn't a word we use in relation to the Force. If it saw fit to bring you two together, there must be a reason."

"Just a matter of whether that reason is good or bad," Alen added.

"Considering our luck so far?" Xel asked.

"Don't be such a cynic."

Caden snorted and frowned, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms.

"Don't mind him," Alen told the master.

"It's perfectly natural, given what you've told me about him," the hologram admitted. The master knelt and looked straight at Xel. "Take it from someone who knows. Running from your past is the easiest way to get it to run you over. If you're ever going to move forward, you need to face what's happened, own what you've done…and maybe, just maybe start to make amends for the damage you've caused."

Xel was silent a long time, staring off into the distance. "I know."

The hologram gave it a moment. "In the meantime, I'm here to help, in any way you need. The existence of your brotherhood is no accident. If I can help you discover your destiny, whatever that may be, I will."

"Appreciate it," Xel said somewhat morosely.

"For now," Alen said, "I think I'll just get you acquainted with the rest of the academy. Introduce you to some of the friends I've made."

The Jedi Master nodded his approval and closed down with the holocron as Alen returned it to its storage location.

"Speaking of," Xel said, "where's Iola?"

Alen smiled. "Home. Figured I'd be here for a while, so she decided to return to her family for a bit."

Xel felt a twinge of disappointment.

Alen picked up on it. "You really miss her that much?"

The Mando frowned deeply. "When all your friends think of you as a traitor, it's hard not to be desperate for some familiarity. For affection."

Alen looked over at his brother with pity, stretching out with the Force to almost physically recoil at the agony that drifted over their bond. He stopped Xel as he tried to walk out, pulling him into a firm embrace that the Mando eventually gave into.

"I'm sorry," Alen said softly.

"For what?"

"Leaving. I know I was angry, that I had every right to be, but I left when you needed me the most…and you suffered for it." He pulled away, giving his younger brother a long look. "It doesn't matter what you've done. My duty, my responsibility, both as a Jedi and your brother, is to attend to the suffering." He winced. "And I abdicated that duty."

Xel waved him off and smiled a little, blinking away tears. "What's done is done. We can't change the past, and obsessing over it is pointless." He frowned again. "I learned that the hard way." He shrugged. "I'm _still_ learning it."

"But this time I'll be here to help. As it should be."

Xel smiled. "As it should be." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder, Alen doing the same to him. "_Vode an_."

…

Present

Jygat, Mygeeto

It was nearly a full half hour before either of them spoke to each other. Instead, they'd silently observed and tailed one of Atono's suppliers all up and down the industrial district of Jygat, following him to a warehouse not far from the local spaceport. At present, they were observing the building from the outside, wary of any potential interference from local security or any other third parties. Xel's macrobinoculars were at maximum magnification, their infrared function also active and picking up over a dozen heat signatures inside the building.

"When did you know?"

Xel blinked hard, not turning away from the building. "Know what?"

"That I was strong in the Force?"

He powered down the macrobinoculars, sighing and checking the charge level on his Blackjack. "You mind tricked the Devaronian back in the station. When that happened, your mental shields slipped."

"And how exactly do you know so much about the Force?"

"You ask a lot of questions," he deflected. "Questions I have absolutely no obligation whatsoever to answer."

"Reticence doesn't exactly inspire trust."

"This little partnership isn't _about _trust. It's about cooperation, and all you need for that is a common goal." He glanced at her. "Or a common enemy."

Mara frowned and gave him a long look, then made for a descent ramp from the building they were perched on. Xel followed a moment later. The pair dropped two floors, then made for the top of a covered bridge between two buildings that overlooked the target warehouse. Mara leapt down to it in a solid crouch, right hand shifting to her sleeve to pull out a small but powerful holdout blaster of a particularly nasty brand. Her Mando backup dropped in behind her with a surprisingly quiet landing for someone in heavy armor, shuffling behind her and moving like the cold wind.

Their forms were obscured by a heavy wind carrying blizzard-like snow, the entire city of Jygat looking like little more than a foam-spattered abstract painting. Their approach was, therefore, completely unobserved, and they arrived at the target location without incident. Xel fired his grappling hook into the bridge and pulled to ensure his anchor, then reached out to Mara, who grabbed his hand and held onto his shoulders with her other arm. He leapt from the bridge, his gauntlet's auto-winch unraveling the cable until his feet were touching the roof of the warehouse.

The cable detached from the bridge as he let go of Mara, a nearby skylight serving as their entry point once Jade sliced the electronic lock open. Another line was anchored and used to rappel to an upper catwalk just below the skylight. Upon touching down, Mara shed the thick bantha hide coat she'd kept on to keep out the wind, revealing a skintight black flight suit which he suspected possessed some form of interwoven ballistic armor. Try as he might, though, that wasn't the only thing he noticed about the suit—not by far.

Heat filled his face as he forced himself to look away and focus on the task at hand. Nevertheless, he couldn't help commenting on it as they made their way deeper inside. "So is that thing standard Imperial issue or did you pick it out yourself?" he asked, motioning to her flight suit.

Mara arched an eyebrow and inspected the tight black fabric. "It was chosen for me, but my life is of great importance to the Emperor, so I'd hardly call it 'standard.'"

"So…blaster, heat-resistant?"

"And tear resistant to some extent. A direct cut from a vibroblade will penetrate it, but any glancing shots will be redirected."

He shrugged. "Should really consider getting yourself something a bit more solid. That is, if your illustrious master even pays you."

Her head shook and eyes rolled. "I get what I need. No more, no less. If I couldn't hack it without premium armor or equipment, what kind of Hand would I be? Blasters, armor, even my lightsaber—they're all just tools." Her green eyes narrowed as a thumb jabbed her chest. "I'm the weapon."

Xel paused for barely a moment, grunting in approval and scanning the dark building for signs of movement. He crouched near the railing of the catwalk on one side, stretching out with the Force and closing his eyes as his senses extended in all directions. A frown creased his features.

"Something's wrong," he said quietly. "I feel…on edge, tense, and the fact that we haven't been able to find any of our quarry is even worse."

"I agree," she replied just as softly, her holdout blaster drawn and eyes narrowed in focus. "Be on your guard. Atono is notorious for using darkness to his advantage."

"I don't need to see him to kill him," Xel said darkly. "But my contract is to bring him in alive." He drew his blasters and thumbed them to the lowest power setting, looking over at her. "That gonna be a problem?"

Mara arched an eyebrow in his direction. "On the contrary, I need him. My information indicates that he may have ties to the Rebel Alliance, perhaps as a supplier."

Xel winced, keeping his feelings hidden well. "I sincerely doubt that," he mumbled, moving for the descent ramp.

"And why's that?"

He froze mid-step, not having meant for her to hear him. The Mando looked over his shoulder, considering what it would take to lie to this girl. "Because I once contracted for them as a consultant."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"It was years ago, and there's a small chance they've become desperate enough to use scum like Atono, but it's microscopic, if anything. Too sanctimonious and self-righteous."

Mara eyed him warily as she followed him down the ramp, grip tightening around her blaster. "Why would you do that? Couldn't have been for the money."

"No," he agreed. "For protection."

She arched a red eyebrow. "From?"

His t-visor turned to face her. "Vader."

Mara blinked hard. "What would a Dark Lord of the Sith want with you?"

Xel chuckled sardonically. "That's just it. I was all he wanted. More specifically, my power."

"For what? Vader cannot take an apprentice. The Emperor would never allow it."

"Or maybe he wanted a Hand of his own. Either way, I've spent the last five years running from the _chakaar_, getting stronger, trying to keep a low profile." He rechecked the charge on his blasters and proceeded into the darkened warehouse. "Hasn't always worked, but for the most part he's left me alone, especially lately. Not sure why."

Mara frowned slightly, eyes narrowing.

He noticed her slight distraction, but didn't comment. "You said you researched Atono before coming here. What exactly got him to catch your attention in the first place?"

Her lips pursed as they cleared another section of the building. "Records from Golan Arms indicated manifest changes in shipments to various defense contractors, but the value of each shipment they were moving stayed the same. There were several dozen crates of weaponry missing from that inventory, the same one I tracked to Atono, but the credit values were unaltered. I figured that someone went in and forged the manifest, keeping the money transfer the same to mask a secret sale of ordnance."

"And how does that tie to the Alliance?"

"Golan Arms is the sole manufacturer of the DF.9 anti-infantry battery, a model known to be used quite frequently in defense of rebel installations."

"So you just assume anything that goes wrong is the rebels' fault." He snorted and shook his head. "In all likelihood, Atono stole the shipment and Golan Arms kept the values the same to save face with their investors."

Mara grunted in disapproval. "Seems you still hold a bit of loyalty to the traitors."

"I'm Mandalorian. I never considered myself a part of your Empire. Don't particularly approve of resurrecting the Republic, either, but at least the rebels were straight with me and appreciated my talents. Those who work for the Empire look down on anyone who isn't above them."

Mara shot him an affronted look. "Hardly. Corruption is there, true, but that's the case anywhere you go. It's sentient nature."

Xel pressed his back against a wall, peeking around the corner. Dark blue eyes narrowed as they scanned the room beyond for signs of movement, another scan with the Force revealing traces of residual life energy. "They were here, recently." He moved into the room step by step, observing his surroundings and noting scuff marks near one of the larger exits. The hunter knelt by the markings, dragging a finger across them. "And they brought something heavy with them."

"The weapons," Mara concluded.

"Possible, but wouldn't they have used a repulsor cart for them?" Xel took a deep breath, that sense of foreboding and tension increasing steadily. "Something's not right."

Mara followed the tracks into another room, several pipes and tanks of Tibanna gas and other flammable material stored at various points. Xel moved in behind her, eyes peeled, and noted one crate different from the rest. They exchanged a look before moving in and carefully opening it. Their eyes went wide when they peered inside, a charging whine filling the air. Xel's arms instantly went around her smaller form as his jetpack fired up at maximum power, shooting them straight upward and through another skylight. Glass shattered in their wake—along with duracrete and hundreds of square feet, the detonite bomb in the gas room igniting a chain reaction that consumed the warehouse and a good portion of the surrounding area.

They set down on the bridge overlooking the building, panting slightly.

Mara looked over at him. "Thank you."

Xel just tipped his head. "He was waiting for us. Knew we were coming."

Her eyes rolled. "Obviously. Question is, was Atono ever here or was this place just a decoy from the start?"

Several more explosions cut off Xel's answer as all across the city, buildings erupted in flame and debris.

"Oh _shab_," he breathed, standing and staring alongside Mara.

The sounds of firing blasters rang through the cold Mygeetan wind from some distance away, at various points throughout Jygat, far as Xel could tell. He exchanged a look with the Emperor's Hand.

"We're too late," she said. "He's already made his move."

"Atono's gonna pit the Stars against the Krayts. Probably has men planted in both factions, or at least meant to look that way."

"And they'll tear each other—and this planet—apart with his weapons."

"Umbaran bastard," Xel spat, fists clenching.

"Unless…"

He turned to her. "Unless what?"

She looked to him, a feral gleam in her striking green eyes. "Unless we can prove to both factions that their war was a product of Atono's machinations, nothing more."

His arms crossed. "How do you suppose we do that? It's pandemonium out there, a bloody war zone. Getting valuable intelligence is gonna be about as easy as stealing eggs from a gundark. And then there's the problem of how to show them."

"That part's easy." She pulled a datapad from her belt. "We slice into Jygat's public service center, hijack the citywide broadcast frequency. Once we have the data we need, uploading it to the city server will transmit it to every screen, terminal, and holoprojector in Jygat."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "And you know how to do all that?"

Mara smirked, pocketing her datapad. "If I didn't know how to slice into the systems of a second-rate corporate security network, what kind of Hand would I be?"

He huffed. "Right. We need a place to start, though. Ideas?"

She thought for a moment, looking off to the side. Her features shifted in recognition as she nodded toward something in the distance. "I might have a few."

Xel turned to see Atono's supplier shuffling off away from the burning building. He glanced at Mara. "Shall we?"

She shivered a bit and rubbed her arms. "The sooner the better," she chattered, adrenaline leaking away as she started to feel the cold.

Xel blinked and reached into a hardcase at the back of his belt. His father's shoulder cloak was draped over her shoulders, the girl jumping a bit in surprise. An uncomfortable feeling of _déjà vu_ settled into his gut as she looked up at him with familiar green eyes, red hair flowing in the icy wind. A hard breath left his lungs as his head shook slightly.

"Come on," he said softly, turning away from her and heading for another rooftop in their target's direction of movement.

…

Mara looked at his back with narrowed eyes, mild confusion settling over her. The… "Mandalorian Knight," as he'd called himself, was a complete professional, his thoughts and feelings always locked tighter than a Moff's vault. But there, just for a moment, she'd felt him slip, felt the leakage of pain and regret when he'd looked down at her. Trailing behind him, she kept one eye on the man they were tailing while the other observed the cloak he'd laid over her shoulders. For such a thin fabric, it was doing a remarkable job of keeping her upper extremities warm, and though it was meant as a mere shoulder ornament, she was small enough that it was able to cover both her shoulders and head.

To this end, she wound the dark gray fabric around her head as something of a makeshift hood, the biting wind kept out to a great extent. The question of Xel's Force abilities was a troubling one, especially with the degree of power he'd exuded earlier upon letting his mental shields slip. She hadn't felt that sort of raw power outside of the Sith Lords or their Inquisitors. Even her own Force shadow was dwarfed by his, and she had been trained by the Emperor himself. Such skills weren't achieved in a vacuum, which meant he had to have learned them from someone.

Since it was obvious he was no servant of the Empire, that left only one alternative: Jedi. Though it was clear he was not one, the idea that he had worked and trained with Jedi was profoundly enticing to her. After all, what better gift to cap off the prevention of a civil war than the location of a fugitive Jedi?

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"Xel, I'd like you to meet Ytris K'losi, one of our resident healers."

The armored boy was approached by a furry, long-snouted humanoid standing at about six feet. The creature smiled, warm eyes scanning over Xel's form as he outstretched a three-fingered hand tipped with short claws.

Xel took it with a curious look. "I didn't know Caamasi lived this far out."

Ytris winced. "Since the Empire's bombardment of our homeworld, we've settled where we can. My arrival here was something of an accident, but a happy one, as it turned out."

The Mando nodded and turned toward the next figure, a massive human about 6'8". His familiar bulky figure caused his eyebrows to arch upward.

"This is Pelem Tercer," Alen said, motioning to the man. "The best sniper I've seen this side of Mandalore and a part-time engineer. He's in charge of maintaining a lot of the buildings and tech around the academy."

"We've met," Pelem said, voice a deep bass. He nudged his face a few times around the cheekbone, a significant amount of bruising present. "Was a nice shot, by the way."

Alen looked between the two.

"Had a little scuffle outside the perimeter," Pelem explained.

"Took eight of 'em to bring me to heel," Xel said with a smirk.

The taller man snorted and crossed his arms. "Sure it did."

"What? There were eight on the perimeter. If I'd kept fighting, who knows how long I would've lasted?"

Pelem just shook his head and smiled.

"My dear brother," Alen interrupted, "cocky as always."

Xel turned toward him. "You know you love me for it."

"Sadly, yes."

A dirty blonde girl joined their little group, leaning against the support post of a nearby building.

Alen smiled and motioned to her. "And I believe you already know Kael Dansen."

"Hey again," she said, smiling and waving at Xel.

"Only person you haven't met is her brother."

Xel winced. "Don't think he's in much of a hurry to meet me."

"Oh relax," Kael teased, "he's not gonna skewer you on your first encounter."

"Maybe the third or fourth," Pelem said jokingly.

"They're yanking your chain," Alen insisted. "But on a more serious note, he_ is _a little…intense."

"Unfortunate byproduct of being Fenrim's top pupil," Kael said with a roll of her eyes. "But yeah…he is intense."

Xel gave her a look. "So am I."

She looked back, features sharpening. "Not like this."

…

Present

Mygeeto

Mara's makeshift hood was holding up surprisingly well to Mygeeto's strong, bitterly cold winds, but the cold had stopped bothering both of them a long time ago. The man they were tailing had been hoofing it across Jygat, nearer and nearer the city center, foregoing any sort of motorized transportation for some reason. Mara had a few ideas, and she got the feeling Xel did too, but ever since he'd given her that cloak, he'd fallen permanently silent, not even so much as glancing in her direction.

This was more than fine with her, if just a little confusing, but she had a mission to accomplish and the more blaster fire sounded in the distance, the less time they had to fix things. The Emperor's Hand could afford no distractions, no matter how intriguing her current company was. Once or twice she'd considered attempting to pickpocket a datapad off his person to check for any Jedi connections, but between the way he kept his head on a swivel and the aura of sheer danger he exuded, she'd ruled against it.

The only possibility for intelligence-gathering from this man was to somehow board his ship, but if his copilot was anywhere near as dangerous as the captain, she was in for a nasty time. After a while, she decided to bide her time. Opportunities always presented themselves to the alert. For now, she'd use him to save Mygeeto, and after…they'd see what would happen.

"He's stopped," Xel said suddenly.

Jade almost flinched at the abrupt statement and the hardness in his tone, but instead crouched next to him on a rooftop perch overlooking what looked like an apartment tower. She reached to her belt and put a set of macrobinoculars to her eyes, narrowing as she spotted the suspect speaking with the building's doorman. A few minutes later, he was spotted eight floors up in an apartment, hurriedly packing a case with various essentials.

"He's not going to meet Atono," Mara said with a sigh. "He's skipping town."

"The hell he is," Xel countered, reaching to his belt.

Two lines shot out of a small device, one end attaching to the apartment building, the other to their rooftop. Xel gripped the liquid cable launcher and gave it a tug to ensure its stability, then reached out for Mara and held her steady. The launcher's internal winch system reeled them toward the eighth floor in seconds, Xel's legs kicking out and shattering the window in their way as they touched down in the apartment. Three blasters were instantly lined up with the man's chest.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait!" He held his hands up, eyes wild with fear. "Just—just wait!"

Xel cocked his head slightly, tension taking his frame as he looked behind him. A sigh left his helmet's vocalizer. "Jade," he said softly, nodding behind the man.

The Emperor's Hand grimaced when she saw two small forms, a boy and a girl, standing huddled behind the suspect, shivering against the cold. Xel's blasters lowered first, followed by Jade's a moment later.

"We don't want your life," Xel said calmly. "Just information."

The man gulped, still pushing his kids behind him. "On what?"

"Mel Atono."

"No," he said flatly.

Xel's hand drifted toward one of his blasters. "Wasn't a request."

"You don't understand. Atono has connections to Black Sun, the Hutt cartels…if I rat on him, he'll kill me!"

"Not if I kill him first."

Mara gave Xel a sideways look. _Thought his bounty was to capture Atono _alive_._

"Tell me what you know, and I'll make sure he can never come after you."

The man gulped and worked his jaw. "I'll do you one better." He reached over to his case and unzipped a pocket, pulling a data drive from its insides. "I always knew this deal would come back to bite me in the ass, so just in case, I made copies and recordings of every meeting I had with Atono. Every shipment, every word, every single transaction."

"And what about this civil war? You have any intel on that?"

A smirk pulled at the man's lips. "You think I'd have gone to ground without the biggest bargaining chip of all?" He handed Xel the drive. "Everything you need is on there, I think."

"Then you won't mind if I check," Xel said.

He shrugged. "Of course not."

The Mando fed the drive into his forearm gauntlet, the data apparently streaming across his HUD, since no otherwise visible or audible results occurred. Mara felt a surge of glee come from her ally.

"Perfect." He pulled the drive from his forearm and slipped it into a pouch on his belt. "This is exactly the kick in the _gett'se _we need."

"So…that's it? I'm free to go?"

Mara opened her mouth to protest, but Xel cut her off.

"Yes. I don't excuse your role in this mess, but I respect that you're attempting to make amends." He nodded at the door. "Get your family out of here."

Silence reigned over the room for a while as the man and his two children escaped the apartment building and the civil war raging outside.

Mara looked to Xel after a while, the cold starting to bite at her back. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

She turned her body to face him, frowning. "He's a criminal, a co-conspirator with a war profiteer, and you just let him walk."

"He was useful," Xel said simply.

"And? Whether he's holding a blaster or not, he's responsible for the people dying out there."

The Mando snarled audibly. "Well what did you _expect_ me to do, orphan two children?"

She flinched. "Of course not, but he had to answer for his crimes."

Xel cocked his head slightly. "In an Imperial prison, you mean?" He snorted and made for the exit. "Yeah, like I said, orphaned."

Mara stayed silent, jaw tight, and followed him out into the street.

"Now, you said you can get us into a central broadcast, find a way to transmit data to blanket the entire city. How would we do that?"

She tapped his shoulder. "Follow me."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"Clyde! Oi, Clyde!"

Kael gave Xel an apologetic look in preparation for a tall eighteen-year-old who touched down next to them after dropping from a tree perch. He was brown-haired and just an inch taller than Xel, not that anyone could tell with the Mando in full armor.

"So you're the new arrival the whole village is buzzing about."

Clyde's voice was strangely accented compared to his sister, almost Coruscanti in nature. It definitely had a slight lilt of snobbery thrown in there though. Unlike his sister, this man had bright, piercing silver eyes that he got the feeling could cut through him like a saber. It almost made him uneasy. Almost. He'd faced down Darth freaking Vader. Compared to a Dark Lord of the Sith, this pup's attempt at intimidation was nothing less than adorable.

Xel smirked involuntarily at his own musings, holding out a hand. "Xel Caden."

The man stared at his hand, only moving his eyes as he inspected the Mando and crossed his arms. "I don't see what's so impressive about him."

Xel got the feeling the statement was directed more toward his sister than him.

"So what's the big deal, eh?"

"He's just gonna be staying here for a while," Kael explained with a confused expression, looking between them, "'til he gets his bearings. What's the big problem?"

Clyde cocked his head. "The problem, sister, is that this Mandalorian thug is no Jedi."

"If trust is your issue, Alen vouches for him. They're brothers."

The older brother shot her an alarmed look. "You're kidding, right? The boy scout isn't exactly known for being the best judge of character."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, what?" He looked between them and smirked. "Did something happen I wasn't told about?"

Clyde snorted as Kael rubbed her eyes and shook her head, answering him. "You could…say that."

"Regardless," Clyde interrupted, "I reserve judgment, no matter who vouches for him."

"Smart decision," Xel said with a shrug, "but you have nothing to worry about."

"Uh huh. Just don't get too comfortable."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "What is your issue with me? I doubt you give all the new arrivals this bad a reception."

Clyde crossed his arms again, looking at him with suspicion. "Just the ones that are working the angles. You wouldn't be the first."

Caden stared at him with narrowed eyes and a confused expression plastered to his face. "Eh?"

"The sum is this: my sister and I have been here long before you. We'll be here long after you're gone."

Xel bristled and crossed his arms right back. "Hope you enjoy the weather and trees then, _di'kut_." He snorted. "You know, I'm not usually this friendly to everyone with your attitude, but for your sister's sake, I'm trying my hardest. I _came_ here to visit my brother and try to clear my head, not pull some scam, you _shabuir_."

"Whatever," Clyde said with a dismissive wave. "You're not cut out for this. Staying, commitment—" he shook his head, "—just isn't in your nature."

Caden felt a small chill run down his spine, snarling to mask his uneasiness. "You don't know the first thing about me."

Clyde cocked his head and narrowed those piercing eyes again. "Don't I?"

Their staredown lasted several seconds as Kael looked at them both helplessly.

Clyde snorted. "I give you a week, two tops." He turned away and started to leave when he heard Xel chuckle softly, looking back to see his shoulders shaking slightly, a grin on his face.

"You know," Xel said between chuckles, "if you wanted me to leave—" he looked up and grinned at the older teen, "—you shouldn't have gone and done that."

Clyde arched a brown eyebrow. "Done what?"

Caden smiled wider and crossed his arms. "Issued a challenge." He nodded to Clyde. "I'll be seeing you around."

Clyde's nostrils flared slightly, glaring at him for several seconds before turning away toward the forest.

Silence passed between the remaining two until Kael broke it.

"That went well," she said sarcastically.

Xel smirked and nodded back toward the village. "Come on. There anything to eat around here? I'm _starving_."

…

Present

Mygeeto

Mara pulled her hood tighter around her features as Xel occasionally eyed the girl, small wisps of her red hair flying out at odd intervals. Imperial agent or not, not even her cold stares or deadly focus could hide the fact that she was, to put it as Alen might, "smoking hot." In fact, those particular qualities, for some reason, made her even more attractive to Xel's Mando mind. He coughed several times as they kept moving, rapping his knuckles against his helmet.

_Focus, _mir'osik_!_

Mara blinked hard and glanced back at him.

"I'm fine." He frowned at the increasing volume of intermittent blaster fire. "We need to move faster. No telling how many people are already dead."

Mara frowned and nodded, breaking off into a run and turning sharply into an alley. Xel followed closely in her wake, zeroing in on the Hand when a loud crash sounded from his right, grabbing his attention. A pair of humans with Hydian Star patches on their shoulders rushed at him, one with a blaster, the other a force pike. Xel's hand twitched toward his blaster, but stopped when he remembered why all this was happening. He started to reconsider his decision when three more Stars appeared from another corner of the alley, all armed with various blasters or improvised weapons.

"Mara?" he called. "Little help?"

When no answer came, he looked around rapidly, jaw tightening when the red-haired girl was nowhere to be found. A small groan came from his throat as his eyes rolled. _Typical_.

"All right now…there's no need to—"

"Shut up!" one of them snarled. "You're the one making all of this happen in the first place!"

He blinked hard. "Say what?"

Before he could get any answers, the one with the force pike charged and thrusted hard. Xel grabbed the shaft of the pike, staying well away from its tip and kneeing him in the chest, then smacking his partner with the blunt end of the weapon. The three from behind moved in, two of them firing blasters as he dive-rolled under their shots. His armor deflected two hits as he drove his fist into the third man's midsection, using him as a human shield and forcing them to wait for a clear shot. The sound of a charging blaster came from behind as the second man scrambled to his feet with a clear line on his back.

A black-and-gray blur descended from the top of a building and landed on the Star before he could fire, red hair flying in the wind. Xel smirked and sighed, shoving his shield into one of the two gunners before disarming the second and smacking him with the butt-end of the appropriated blaster. Moments later, they each scrambled to their feet and glared at the pair, Emperor's Hand and Mandalorian Knight back-to-back against five unarmed assailants.

Xel smirked and looked over his shoulder. "Shall we?"

Mara just set her jaw and gave his back a reassuring press as the five men moved in.

Xel couldn't help a grin as he fell into a ready stance and waved them forward.

* * *

AN: And another one done! It is amazing how much response I've been getting the past few days. Thanks, guys.

Next chapter should wrap up this particular story arc, and then move onto some of the stuff you guys wanted in that poll. Due to timeline issues, I won't be doing the top five in order from most preferred to least, but I think you'll be satisfied with how I play this if you've enjoyed the ride so far.

Also, if it wasn't obvious by now, Kael and Clyde are going to be rather important, and her name is pronounced "Kai-el."

Thanks for all your support so far and I hope you continue to read on. Leave your comments and love at the door.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	42. Shades of Gray

Jygat, Mygeeto

3 years ABY

The sounds of rapid, heavy breathing were heard from one source, four others deep and heavy, and two more calm and even as one figure pinned another to a wall by the throat. A _beskar_-armored forearm pressed gently against his windpipe, giving the illusion that it was being crushed when really, the man on the other end had no intention of harming him. A black t-visor was intimidatingly brought close to the face of the assailant gasping for breath.

"Who hired you to take me out?" asked Xel's deep, grating voice.

The other man sputtered and swiped uselessly at his faceplate. "No—no one."

"Then why assault me and my companion?" He jerked a thumb at Mara.

The restrained Star looked up at Xel with slightly widened eyes. "You're…you're responsible. Those explosions. So many dead…"

Mara huffed gently, sending puffs of steamy air from her lips. "Of _course_ that's what they think."

"It makes perfect sense," Xel agreed.

The man looked between them carefully. "What does?"

Xel looked back to him. "The man who supplies your weapons, Mel Atono? He's played you both for fools."

"What are you talking about?"

The Mando drew close again. "_He_ told you I was working for the other side, didn't he? For the Krayts."

"What," the man snorted, "so you're trying to tell me you're not?"

"I'd rather show you," he replied, standing, "to be honest, but I have neither the time nor patience. Help me, and I'll show the whole damn city the truth."

The Star's eyebrows furrowed. "What truth?"

"That neither the Stars nor Krayts are behind today's attacks," Mara replied. "It's your supplier, Atono. He's _using_ you to profit off the conflict."

"Impossible," he replied, shaking his head and scrambling to his feet. "Atono's always been straight with us. Bargain prices for solid merchandise."

"Yes," Xel replied, "because he wants repeat customers, but only for the money. He doesn't care about you and your cause except where it can benefit him." He stared at him, taking in his disbelieving look for another moment before throwing his hands up. "Oh, come on, for kriff's sake, man! Since when have you _ever_ known Umbarans to be trustworthy?"

He remained silent.

"Fine," Xel snarled, turning away and motioning to Mara. "But don't get in our way again. If you do, we'll leave more than bruises." A few turns and minutes later, the pair was sure they'd lost the attention of the Stars. "So what now?"

Mara's lips pursed as she re-wrapped her head in his shoulder cloak. "Now, I call in a favor and see what I can do about getting us inside that broadcast station. Shouldn't be too hard."

Xel sighed hard. "Why would you _say_ that? Not that I'm superstitious or anything, but that sort of thing tends to jinx people like us."

She smirked. "Maybe I just like the extra challenge."

He snorted and shook his head. "And people say _I'm _crazy."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

3 weeks ABY

"You're crazy."

Xel rolled his eyes again as he reached into an engine manifold assembly and yanked a frayed wire from its mounting. "Rerouting the secondary auxiliary power through the ion converter cell isn't crazy, it's practical. The more energy gets filtered into the ion cell, the more it builds on itself. It's the principle of exponential increase." He arched an eyebrow on his critic. "Would've thought you'd know that, being the engineer and all."

Pelem Tercer frowned and crossed his thick arms. "Well, excuse me if I was taught the proper ways of engineering and not some Mando-grade jury rigging."

Far from taking it as an insult, Xel grinned. "You have any ideas how many times Mando jury-rigging has saved my life?"

"A great many, I'm sure," Pelem admitted genuinely. "But this is civil engineering, not military."

"And yet—" Xel finished soldering the new wiring, "—if civilian systems were engineered by the military, they'd last a hell of a lot longer." He pointed his hydrospanner at the engineer. "And better."

"Maybe true, but military designs lack a distinctive…flair. They lack taste."

Xel stopped what he was doing and narrowed his eyes at Tercer. "Is that a crack about my armor?"

Ytris, ever studious, snickered nearby from behind a holobook he was reading.

"On the contrary," Pelem defended, "your armor's probably the only thing you own that has any sort of aesthetic value. I mean, have you seen your ship?"

Caden's gaze turned into a glare.

"No offense, but that tub could use a new paintjob…new everything, really. It may be a powerful machine of deadly efficiency, but it looks like a bucket of bolts ready to fall apart."

"Looks can be deceiving," Xel countered. "And the TIE Fighters I blew to pieces certainly wouldn't think of it that way."

The air froze as their conversation immediately halted.

Xel winced and mentally kicked himself. "Sorry," he said quietly, returning to his work with a concentrated frown.

The silence lasted for a while before he looked around to see Pelem busy with repairing farming equipment or some such _osik_. Ytris was still buried in his book, both friends seemingly absorbed in their own thoughts and work. Xel just sighed and got back to repairing the engine of the village landspeeder. The vehicle, as Xel had discovered, was used primarily for exploration and excavation, since various ruins strewn all across the planet still merited exploring. For what, Xel couldn't be sure, since all he'd found on this planet was dirt, foliage, and a horde of vicious indigenous creatures—one of which had torn the speeder's engine manifold to shreds on its last run over two days ago.

Since then, for obvious reasons, no other teams had been sent, despite the recent discovery of a new and apparently exciting ruin, if the responses of the likes of Ytris or other scholars were any indication. Alen was, for his part, occasionally assigned to the excavation teams, though more as protection than scholarly input. Since his…arrival two weeks earlier, Xel had been treated with the same respect as most others here, but many of the tenants were still standoffish. Understandable. They hardly knew him.

Probably only people of those who'd already been here who weren't remotely distant were Alen and, strangely enough, Kael Dansen. The dirty blonde girl had been hanging around the tech shop more and more often after Xel had mentioned his mechanical aptitude and volunteered to help out. Her personality was a strange mix of snarky and nurturing that was altogether charming; quite the asset to the academy's other resident healer, he supposed. Bedside manner was never a problem with her, not that he knew from experience.

His experiences, thus far, were limited to mechanical work, sleeping, and going for runs around the perimeter of the academy. Sequestering himself in his house on Mandalore for over a month had not done his body any favors, which was probably why he'd been so easily beaten by the perimeter guard. Well, that and his weakened connection to the Force—which was still limited even now. Communicating with his brother and performing telekinetic manipulations were relatively easy, like riding a bike, but other techniques, like Force Shields and Blasts, still eluded him. It was like he'd started over again. Worse, actually.

Before, training with Telia, he'd been in the dark, slogging his way forward bit by bit until he started taking leaps and strides. Now…now he knew what he was missing, and he felt blinded by its absence. Alen had been working with him every day, trying to restore his connection to the Force, but there was only so much he could do. Alen was no master. His namesake, on the other hand, was, but despite his power and experience, the holocron guardian's experience lay in battle, not the higher mysteries of the Force.

Alen would never admit it, but Xel knew he was close to giving up, at least for himself. He'd already mentioned someone more experienced with such matters, but after three days, nothing more had been heard from Alen's end. Kael, with Alen's guidance and Xel's permission, had also been attempting to help in this regard from a physiological end, but despite her natural talent for the healing arts, there was nothing she could do. They had discovered what Xel had known since he started reconnecting to the Force: that the block keeping him from restoring his full potential was mental, not physical.

Pulling himself from his ruminations, Xel affixed the last component necessary to fix the engine and dusted his hands off after bolting the manifold cover back in place.

"There," he said with a wave at the engine. "Should be working fine now."

Pelem glanced over at him, arching an eyebrow and striding over to inspect Xel's work. His sea-green eyes scanned over the manifold with a critical eye, the much larger man shrugging and waving at the driver's seat. "Go ahead and give it a light."

Xel climbed in and thumbed the ignition after punching in the activation code. A small puff came from the rear before the whirring of the landspeeder's engine started up. When at full power, the engine and propulsion systems thrummed with a heavier, throatier sound than before, and Pelem gave Xel a look.

He grinned innocently. "I made a few adjustments," he explained, waving at the three rear engines. "According to my calculations, the top speed of the fastest predator on this world is about 80 kph." He thumped the dashboard. "This thing clocked out its max around 74 kph. You want it to last? Make it faster than the things that want to destroy it."

The engineer gave the vehicle a long look, furrowing his eyebrows and double-checking the engines. "So…what's its top speed now?"

Xel smirked and laid his hands on the yoke of the speeder. "Hows about we find out?"

…

Present

Mygeeto

"You've gotta be kriffing kidding me."

Xel gave Mara a sideways look. "See what happens when you gloat before the job's done?"

Mara grit her teeth and glared at the entrance of the broadcast station, the gold-brown symbols of Rimman Krayts hung in the form of flags over either side of the entrance as guards patrolled the front. "This is only a setback."

"True, but I'd have preferred to do this cleanly." Xel sighed hard behind his helmet. "Guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

Mara gave him a sideways look. "What are you talking about?"

"We don't have time for subtlety. Based on the number of guards up front, the Krayts are here in force, which means they plan to use and hold the station. Three guesses what it is they plan to broadcast."

She thought for barely a moment. "Propaganda, of course. They'll want to rally the city against the Stars. And maybe us as well."

Xel's head shook. "Not us. If I'm right, and Atono has men inside their organizations, he'll have someone in that station, making sure only so much is disseminated. If he transmits our identities and 'crimes' to the entire city, the Stars will respond by accusing the Krayts of hiring us, and the validity of our guilt will be called into question."

Mara arched an eyebrow. "Good point." She looked over at him. "I'll admit, you're more articulate than I expected from a Mandalorian."

Xel snorted. "Please, just don't go there. There's a whole laundry list of misconceptions and prejudices that I _really_ don't have the time to go into right now." He drew a pistol and replaced its gas cartridge. "Word of thumb: reserve judgment." His t-visor turned to face her with a pointed look. "Always."

She got the distinct feeling he wasn't just talking to her. "What's the pistol for?" Mara nodded at the weapon in question.

"Distraction. I'm gonna lure the Krayts away from the entrance while you slip inside. They're looking for me, not you."

Mara looked back toward the door. "There are at least a dozen guards manning that door, all heavily armed." She glanced back at him. "I can't let you risk yourself like that."

Xel gave her a long look, then chuckled softly. "I didn't know you cared so much—but it's not exactly your choice, is it?" He stood up and drew both pistols. "Just stay out of sight until I get them away from the entrance. I'm trusting you to get this done."

"And you're right to. Just one thing."

He stopped short.

Her green eyes narrowed. "Why are you doing this? You're being paid to nail Atono, not to defend the city."

Xel looked back at her over his shoulder. "The two aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, one will help facilitate the other. But besides that…" he looked down at his left shoulder, "I've learned a thing or two about responsibility over the years. With ability comes duty. I've run away from conflict before, and people have suffered needlessly." He looked up at her. "Never again."

Mara stared at him for a moment before examining his pauldron. Its surface was silver, with a golden longsword pattern embossed on a black triangular shield, with two dark green wings flanking them on either side. Her studies in the Emperor's service had brought her several times to Imperial records on the Mandalorians and their culture. As such, she knew that colors, especially with regard to armor, were significant, but her body of knowledge where they were concerned was rusty, so the individual symbolic meanings were lost on her. The black, however, _had_ stuck with her, primarily because of her own occupation.

_Justice_.

Her gaze went back up to his faceplate, and she gave him an approving nod.

Xel nodded back and went off, Mara watching his approach and biting the inside of her cheek as he taunted the Krayts, dodging intermittent fire and sprinting toward one of their landspeeders. One of her red eyebrows rose as he whooped and shot off into the distance, nearly all of the Krayts chasing after him, either on speeder bikes or on foot. By the end of it, only one guard was on the entrance. A simple trick used his pressure points to render him unconscious once she closed the distance. Xel had been right in that they were only looking for him. Between the way she flipped her hair and how she smiled at him, the guard hadn't expected any foul play until he was passed out on the ground.

Making her way inside, the Emperor's Hand cleared one corner after the next with silent steps, her Force senses stretching out in all directions. A sense of vengeful rage came from one far corner of the station, and she made her way toward it, frowning at the dead and unconscious bodies of corporate police strewn about the halls. _Deceived or not, these Krayts are criminals, and they _will _pay for this._ Barely a minute after entry, Mara glimpsed the entrance of the primary control center, two guards posted outside, with at least three more life signatures behind the door. Her eyes narrowed in examination of the hallway's features, smirking when she saw a ventilation cover just halfway between her and the door.

Stretching out with the Force, Mara gradually increased her pull on the grate until the bolts started to give, grinding gently against their mountings, but not enough to grab the attention of the guards. A small puff ended the grate's movement as it came off the wall, hovering midair as Mara lowered it to the ground. It settled with a quiet click, still not attracting the attention of either guard. Releasing a quiet breath, Mara made her way into the hallway, pressing herself against a wall and remaining out of sight as she slipped toward the vent entrance. A small hop and shimmy up the ledge was enough to pull her into the vent system. Reaching out with the Force, she pulled the grate back into place and got moving again.

Letting the Force guide her, Mara made her way toward the rage nexus. The closer she got, the more she picked up on a more subtle—and more sinister—presence next to it. A grate below her allowed vision into the cortex of the station, with the patches of four Rimman Krayts blazing in the pale light from the main holocomputer. Pursing her lips, Mara brought her face closer to the grate and narrowed her eyes, observing a large Krayt configuring a datapad for broadcast.

_Four targets. Two human, one Devaronian, one Zabrak female. _

Mara checked her belt and person for any and all of her gear. _Holdout, my lightsaber, Bothan stunner, and a few toxic darts in my belt._ She felt gray fabric brush against her neck and looked down briefly. _And that._ Mara pulled the cloak from around her shoulders. _I think Xel would probably gut me if I let anything happen to it, but…desperate times call for desperate measures._

A grate fell to the floor, causing every Krayt in the room to draw blasters and snap toward it. A moment later, a black-clad figure dropped in behind them and jabbed a Bothan stunner into the back of one while clapping a hand over his mouth. The Devaronian spotted her a moment later and opened fire, causing her to roll behind a terminal and draw a holdout blaster from her sleeve. Several shots were exchanged in the cramped room before the larger Krayt ordered his men to stop firing.

Mara smirked. _Predictable._

She'd picked this cover for that exact reason. They couldn't fire on her without risking the broadcast equipment, and since the terminal was virtually the only cover in the room, that made them sitting ducks. A trio of shots decked the Devaronian, followed by a kneecap shot that crippled the Zabrak. A massive paw of a hand grabbed her wrist the moment she let it off, and she looked up to see the largest of the Krayts glaring down at her. Snapping her hips upward, her right foot made contact with his blaster and knocked it from his grip before both legs wrapped around his neck, using her lower center of gravity to yank him off his feet and headfirst into the ground.

Several rapid-fire blows went into various pressure points around his neck and arms, effectively rendering his upper body immobile. When he tried to clamber to his feet, a falling flip-kick to the head rendered him unconscious. Pushing herself upright, Mara made her way over to the holoterminal and keyed the equipment on, overriding whatever rudimentary programming they'd managed to integrate into the server. The drive containing the supplier's proof was inserted into a receiver port and various files queued for broadcast when a sharp warning from the Force hit her.

She didn't move fast enough to avoid the arm that went around her neck, its owner pulling her much lighter body off the ground and keeping her from drawing a breath. Mara clawed at his hands for a few tries before realizing the futility of it and looking down at the terminal. Her legs kicked a few times before finding purchase and sending her back-flipping out of his grip. Her feet planted on the ground just behind him, a firm kick to the back of his knee sending him collapsing to one leg, but he kept fighting nonetheless.

When she lunged for the terminal, he tripped her leg and they grappled for several seconds.

"You—you're Atono's mole," Mara hissed.

The man grinned sinisterly. "Right you are." His head drew back, then slammed into hers with dizzying force. "Would've done this more artfully, but the fact is—" he pulled a knife from his sleeve as Mara reeled on the floor, "—I'm on a bit of a schedule."

Mara let out a small groan, clutching her head in her hands as he lifted the knife underhandedly and stood over her. He raised the weapon. She timed her movements perfectly. The moment his knife-hand began to fall, she kicked between his legs, the immediate seizures throwing his aim off and deadening the force of his blow. Her body twisted with a dancer's speed and precision, rolling away to his side and grabbing the falling knife-hand with both hands. The blade entered his lower abdomen a moment later. The man sputtered and gasped for air as he slid to the floor, a pool of blood expanding below him.

_Amateur,_ Mara thought. _Didn't recognize a feint when he saw one. That was _textbook_._

She made her way back to the terminal as the groans of awakening Krayts reached her ears. Rapid keystrokes punctuated the still air of the room as Mara worked feverishly to assemble the data package, finishing with a flourish as she hit the broadcast function.

And the city of Jygat was given the truth, right from the bantha's mouth.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"Well that was…terrifying."

Xel grinned and chuckled as the vehicle came to a stop. "You're just sayin' that cause you weren't behind the stick."

"Probably true," Pelem admitted, looking toward the back seat. "You all right back there?"

"Mhm," Ytris replied, his furry face still buried in his holobook, breathing not even elevated.

Xel climbed out of the driver's seat. "At any rate, I doubt the new speed limits of this thing are as scary as what you'll be running from if you have to kick in the afterburners. Just don't let any of the kids take it for a joyride. I can fix a lot of things. Getting a landspeeder wrapped around a tree isn't one of them."

"I'll second that," Pelem said with a raise of his hand. He reached down to his beeping datapad, checking and reading something with furrowed eyebrows. "Your brother's looking for you, I think. Check at the sparring circle."

Xel nodded to him and went off at a jog, waving to the longtime friends. Both of them waved back, despite Ytris never looking up from his book. Two minutes passed before he arrived at the circle, eyes narrowing as a silver blade danced with unerring artful strikes and spins, the air whirring and humming with deadly grace as it twisted through an unceasing pattern of movement. The Mando crossed his arms and watched with a professionally critical eye as the man holding the blade kept a continuous pattern of motion up, freely flowing from one strike to the next.

"Incredible, isn't he?"

Xel turned to his newly arrived brother, who was smiling slightly. He nodded at Clyde. "With form like that, it isn't hard to see why he's so arrogant."

Alen winced. "He isn't arrogant per se. Just…intense. If he knew his past, you'd understand why he's so focused on being the best."

"Why does he see me as a threat to that?"

The Jedi frowned. "I don't know…and that worries me. Not even his sister understands it, and those two are practically joined at the brain, even more in sync than we are, or ever were."

"Hm," Xel grunted absently, observing Clyde for a few more moments. "So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Alen's face lit up. "Okay…I know how you feel about people being in your head—"

"But?"

"I finally got a meeting with someone who might be able to fix your blocks."

Xel gave him a skeptical look. "Who?"

Alen smirked. "The man at the top. Master Fenrim Uln."

…

Present

Mygeeto

Xel closed his eyes and tipped a mug of caf upward, eyes flickering open and glancing toward the opening door of the caf house. The mug hit the deck as he lifted a hand and waved at the red-haired agent, smiling slightly in her direction. He laid his waving hand on his helmet a moment later as she sat in the seat across from him. He snapped his fingers at the droid waiter, pointing at Mara and summoning another mug of caf.

"Any problems?"

He glanced at her, taking another swig. "Not after that show. Pursuers broke off after about a dozen blocks after I dumped one of them into the side of a building. Ran into a few insurgents while hiding out, but once the broadcast went through, the whole damn city ground to a halt. No one gave me more than a passing glance after that."

Mara heaved a sigh. "Then it's over."

Xel clucked his tongue. "Not quite." He lifted his mug to his lips. "I still have a bounty to collect."

"Right…I would say my work is done, but until that Umbaran scum is behind bars or in the ground, I'm stuck here."

The Mando tensed up slightly, just enough for her to notice. "Maybe not for much longer," he said quietly, nodding slightly toward a side entrance. "See those two by the door?"

Mara surreptitiously glanced over her shoulder while flipping her hair. "Yeah. Too tense to be here for caf, and I thought I saw a bulge under one of their jackets. Didn't get a clear look though."

"I have," he said through his mug. "Medium-sized models, both of 'em. Ten to one they're packing Golan Arms weaponry."

"Back door?"

"You bet."

The pair stood slowly, Xel draining the last dregs of his caf and retrieving his helmet on the way up.

"Oh," Mara said softly, "you might want this back."

She handed him Xander's shoulder cloak, and he took it with a smile, folding and tucking into the hardcase at the back of his belt. Xel's helmet went over his features as they stepped into the biting cold, Mara looking like she was regretting giving back the cloak almost instantly. Mara followed Xel's lead as he moved toward a nearby building and climbed an external staircase for several floors. A quick glance toward the caf house revealed the two mooks eyeing them rather unsubtly. One of them spoke into a bulge at his collar, causing Xel's eyes to narrow as he slipped his helmet on.

The helmet's antenna angled downward, a built-in laser microphone picking up what the man was saying.

"Target acquired. Strike when ready."

Xel cocked his head slightly, opening his mind to the Force and tensing when the image of a coiled predator filled his vision. The roar of repulsor engines reached his ears a moment before the silhouette of a _Lambda_-class shuttle descended from the clouds. Its side cannons angled downward.

"Move!" Xel shouted, shoving her toward the upward steps as they both fell into a sprint.

The powerful turbolasers of the military shuttle fired non-stop, massive explosions of plasma engulfing the staircase just behind the pair's Force-powered steps. They were running out of room quick, and that shuttle had no intention of stopping. Xel made a rapid—and reckless—decision once they reached the eighth floor of the building. They ran out of running space seconds before the shuttle fired again, with an electronically locked door between them and the building's limited protection.

Mara's arm was grabbed hard and swung, the appendage used as the anchor point to swing her like a pendulum. Her smaller body shattered a window, freely falling through the air as her eyes widened and stared at Xel. An explosion of red plasma engulfed the staircase—and him—a moment later.

…

"Xeeeel!"

Mara's head snapped in several directions as she let the Force increase her speed of perception. Her left hand snapped to the side of her left thigh and snatched a small cylinder from a hidden pocket in her combat suit. A loud pneumatic pop filled the still air of the massive open building as a barbed cable shot from her device and anchored to a horizontal beam. She swung across a large open space, grunting as her legs impacted with and braced against a vertical girder, chest heaving with the flow of her adrenaline as she looked up at the shattered window and wall.

_Xel…_

Her lips pursed hard as her eyes closed and a long breath was exhaled. Mara called on her training and calmed her frayed nerves, suppressing any adverse feelings that could get in her way and extending the cable from her device bit by bit. The Emperor's Hand rappelled down the girder, taking the time to finally observe her surroundings. Amid the durasteel girders and open air was manufacturing machinery, for gems and other precious stones, if her guess was correct. All of it was offline, looked like it hadn't been used for months, abandoned.

Her feet hit the deck with quiet clicks, and she retracted the cable to her grapple launcher moments before the grind of an opening door reached her ears. A dozen armed men flooded the factory floor, all angling blasters against her with military stance and training.

_These are no amateurs,_ Mara thought with some trepidation.

"Well…well…well…"

Her green eyes narrowed as a thirteenth figure sauntered into the building, slowly clapping his pale hands as his eyes roved over her figure, one sickly white with a vertical scar running through it.

"You've caused quite a stir, Ms. Lenaeus."

She puffed out her chest and nodded to him. "Mel Atono, I presume?"

He bowed slightly, smiling just a little. "Always nice to meet a fan."

Her teeth clenched. "You're a murderer and a peddler of death, Atono." She paced a few steps. "At the very least, I'll see you chained for what you've done. But between you and me—" Mara stopped short and glared at him, eyes flashing with fire, "—I'd rather see you _dead_."

Atono's smile barely widened, but just enough to be visible. "I assure you, Ms. Lenaeus…" he raised his right hand, causing his men to take a firing stance, "the feeling is mutual."

_Snap-hiss_.

A brilliant magenta blade caught the attention of every man in the room, even Atono's impenetrably smug expression faltering just a bit.

"I would advise you to surrender now," Mara said threateningly. "Before you no longer have the ability to."

The Umbaran just eyed her with a critical gaze for a few moments, then chuckled a little. "You think you scare me, girl? Why? Because you have a lightsaber?"

He paced behind the line of his men. "Let me let you in on a little secret. Before I was a procurer and salesman of rare and deadly goods, I was a hunter—" he nodded at the gaping hole seven floors up, "—much like your deceased friend."

Mara's teeth gritted.

"I started my current business ventures on the riches of a far more lucrative one." His pale eyes flashed. "Hunting…Jedi."

Mara tensed.

"I made my first millions cashing in their corpses and lightsabers." His arms crossed as he faced her. "You think you'll be any different?"

Her green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Quite so, especially seeing as how I'm no Jedi."

"True. A Jedi would either be trying to negotiate a way out or cutting through my men. Although how much of the latter would be happening is a little questionable, given that many of them were with me during my hunts."

Mara straightened up and forced the tension to dissipate. "Mel Atono, in the name of the Galactic Empire, you are under arrest. Come quietly and you and your men will be spared. Resist—" her eyes flashed, "—and with the authority of Emperor Palpatine himself, I _will_ execute you as a traitor to the Empire."

Atono simply gave her an amused smirk. "We shall see."

Immediately, a dozen blasters rang out at once, and Mara leapt six feet backward as her blade became a whirlwind of magenta energy. The lightsaber batted bolt after bolt from the air, the sheer volume of fire preventing her from even trying to reflect something back at them. The moment her feet hit the ground, she was running, strafing toward any cover she could get behind while she came up with a plan. Their field of fire was too thick to wade in and cut them down, so she'd have to rely on her holdout blaster to thin their ranks before charging in for the finish. Her left sleeve gave up its concealed weapon as she gripped it tightly in her left hand, right firmly wrapped around her saber.

She leapt behind a mass of inactive machinery just as six plasma bolts crisscrossed the air where her head had been, breaking their line of sight.

"Move in," she heard in Atono's echoing voice. "Find her."

Mara inspected the machinery as she passed through row after row. _Interesting…they're still connected to Jygat's power grid. All I have to do is find the—_

Her eyes flickered upward and lips tipped up confidently as she spotted a control panel at the side of one row. Her fingers danced over the keys with practiced ease as she sliced into its higher functions.

_And…done._

All at once, the machines powered up in a deafening chorus of moving parts, so loud that she could no longer hear the heavy steps of the men pursuing her. But neither could they hear her, and she had other ways to track her prey than hearing and sight. Weaving through one row after the next, Mara let the Force fill her consciousness as her attackers' positions became clear as day. One had his head forcibly slammed against a metal hatch, a knee to the face finishing him. Another hunter rounded the corner as she took the first one out and fired twice. Her head snapped away from the first shot, ignited lightsaber redirecting it into his firing arm.

She sprinted past him in a flash, blade slashing horizontally across his chest as the forms of two more flashed in her peripheral vision. Her holdout blaster fired twice into the center mass of one, saber batting away two shots before reflecting one back. He rolled under the deflection, unleashing an automatic burst from his carbine as he came up. By that time, she'd already fired a trio of shots, each of which slammed into him and punched right through his armor. Three hunters came in behind her, and she ducked behind the machinery in time to avoid a heavy salvo of fire. When two filled the entryway, she slashed their blasters in half and delivered a punishing thrust kick to one's diaphragm.

As he bent over in pain, his partner swung what was left of his rifle as a club, Mara slashing that in half as well, then stabbing him through the abdomen and angling him to take the third man's fire. Her holdout rang out twice, her last attacker dropping as the first got a slash through the back. Two blasters fired at her back, down the row of machines, and she swiped their bolts out of the air with clinical precision as they were joined by a third shooter. So focused was she on keeping them at bay that she didn't see a fourth hunter flanking from her left. A single blaster shot rang out, and searing pain lanced through her side as a scream was torn from her throat.

Mara called on the Force to suppress the pain, rolling out of the aisle and pulling a corpse between her and the new shooter. The body took three shots before she laid into her attacker with her holdout, emptying half the magazine before he finally dropped. She shoved the blackened corpse off her and scrambled for new cover as she felt the three previous shooters charging down the aisle. Snarling in pain and anger, Mara gripped her saber tightly and ducked between two manufacturers to roll between the sprinting hunters. Her magenta blade flashed as she yelled in fury, taking a hand and slashing two through the chest as the first man screamed in agony.

She brought the pommel of her saber into his head like a club, and he dropped like a rock. Breathing heavily, the Emperor's Hand did a mental count.

_One left._

A shadow fell over her crouched body, and she turned toward the source to see a man with an EE-3 carbine leveled at her head from some distance off. He fired again and again as she charged toward him, his left hand dipping to his thigh as she approached and swung. Electricity crackled around frozen light as he pushed her back, an electrified baton in his left hand and the carbine still in his right. The baton spun and whirred with its electric field as she backed up, the blaster firing repeatedly and wearing her down. Mara's teeth gritted hard.

_This is _not_ how I go out!_

Backed into a corner, blindsided by Jedi hunters…Vader would bring her back from the dead just to taunt her about it. And the Emperor…

Shaking her head, Mara let her fear fuel her power and sacrificed technique for brute strength. A powerful blow snapped the baton away from his body, another severing the barrel of the carbine and a spin nearly taking his head off. The larger man ducked under the strike and countered with a spinning blow to her shoulder. She leaned into the attack, batting it away and slashing the tip of her blade through his bicep with a rising cut. When her blade fell, it took his left arm off at the shoulder. He didn't even scream, just collapsed to his knees, staring at his missing arm with muted shock.

Mara gave him release when her blade cut a burning line from shoulder to hip. Her chest heaved with the fear and adrenaline of her ordeal, legs and arms shaking slightly. Taking another look around, she lowered her saber and limped toward the exit, eyes still roving her surroundings for any signs of Atono. Mara tried to stretch out to the Force to pinpoint his location, but between the pain in her side and sheer exhaustion, she was finding it hard to focus. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let the Force fill her. Her senses sharpened just in time for a plasma bolt to graze her upper right arm.

Shouting in pain and gripping the appendage, she raised her blade and whirled toward the source, but two more blaster bolts smacked into her left shoulder and right thigh. Screams tore from her throat as she collapsed to one knee, jaw clenching. Mara tried to lift her saber again, but the cylinder was kicked from her grasp as she was shoved to the ground, right hand pinned beneath an unyielding armored boot.

"Nuh-uh-uh," Atono chided smugly, leveling his blaster at her head. "I'll admit…you've certainly inconvenienced me, Imperial." His head drew slightly closer, eyes narrowing. "But that's all you were. A setback. This world will burn, one way or another, and I'll profit from every dime of it." His finger tightened around the trigger as he straightened. "You've failed."

Despair and defiance warred within her as she groaned and glared up at the Umbaran, fire flashing in her eyes but her broken body refusing to cooperate. A defiant glare was all she had left.

Atono smiled as he silently gloated.

His right index squeezed the trigger. The smile turned into a confused frown as he kept squeezing, to no effect. The blaster slowly began to shake and point away from Mara.

"What the—"

The weapon was yanked from his grasp and flew toward the exit.

_Snap-hiss_.

It was reduced to molten slag and dust when a sapphire blade rang into existence and flew into its flightpath. Mara turned her head and widened her eyes when they locked onto Xel Caden, his armor blackened, helmet gone, and body suit ruptured in multiple bloodied locations, but face scowling and eyes burning with vengeful rage.

"This. Ends. Now."

Mara nearly shuddered. Despite his lack of helmet and vocabulator, his voice seemed even more grating and powerful than ever before. Perhaps _because_ he lacked the helmet. This, she suspected, was the real Xel Caden, the one who remained hidden from the galaxy until precisely the right moment, then unleashes like a hurricane on those who dare to threaten him. One look at the Mandalorian Knight, both with her eyes and the Force, and Mara decided that fighting this man was decidedly _not_ on her pre-death bucket list.

Atono's foot left her hand, and she gasped as blood began to flow into it again, the Umbaran facing Xel fully and chuckling.

"For years I hunted Jedi, Mandalorian. I slaughtered them and enjoyed every second of it, but most of all…I enjoyed reversals."

Xel's eyes narrowed as Atono reached to a satchel at his left hip.

"Turning their own advantages against them. All those years…did you really think I wouldn't hold onto a trophy or two?"

_Snap-hiss_.

A violet blade ignited from a dark gray cylinder in Atono's right hand.

"Having a lightsaber is one thing," Xel growled. "Having the knowledge to use it is quite another."

Mara gave moving a try, managing to shuffle her way about a half-foot toward her lightsaber.

"Fortunately, I have both. Oh, sweetheart—what are you doing?"

Mara turned her head back toward the Umbaran just in time for his pommel to crack into the side of her skull.

…

Xel's feral roar carried over the din of the machinery as he charged Atono, his bleeding body protesting vigorously and being ignored just as vigorously. His momentum carried into a horizontal slash that sent the Umbaran stumbling back two steps. The Mando drove his opponent away from Mara's unconscious body with hard, rapid strikes from multiple angles. Atono gave ground by the step, but Xel never came close to hitting him at any point. Ten seconds into their fight, and he knew the Umbaran knew what he was doing. It didn't matter.

Atono countered one attack with an upward slash that nearly took his right arm off at the shoulder. As it happened, Xel spun his body clockwise around the strike and made a swipe for his back. Atono brought his saber into position four and shoved Caden's blade away, flicking his saber diagonally left with one hand and nicking the side of his knee with the tip. Hissing in pain, Xel pushed through and focused his remaining energy, the throbbing of his head—and indeed his entire body—fighting him at every step. Atono knew this. In fact, he was counting on it, biding his time until the Mando exhausted himself.

It was the same tactic he'd used on Mara.

Gritting his teeth, Xel executed a three-strike combo to either shoulder and his groin, the last of which was locked with, allowing Atono to slam his forehead into Xel's. The younger man grunted with the impact, then smirked malevolently.

_ Let me show you what a _real_ head-butt feels like_.

Xel drew his head back and brought it forward hard—nearly pitching over in the process as Atono sidestepped and slashed the back of his left shoulder. A yell proceeded from Xel's throat, and he swiped behind him to keep Atono back as he relentlessly suppressed his pain with the Force. When he heard the hum of an approaching blade, he rolled forward and twisted to face Atono, the Umbaran just observing him with absent interest. The Mando slowly got to his feet, breathing heavily, and took a deep breath as he let his rage subside.

_Remember…anger is a spark, rage a wildfire—uncontrollable and therefore useless._

Another breath was taken and exhaled slowly as he closed his eyes and loosened his grip on his saber, holding it vertically in a two-handed grip.

_Focus…that's the key. _

The Force rolled over him like a wave, calming his nerves and dulling the pain of his many injuries.

_You are a Knight, not an animal._

His saber drifted to hip level as he calmly repositioned his fingers around the hilt.

_Now show him what that means._

Dark blue eyes snapped open, crystal clarity shining in their depths as their owner smirked with confidence. Atono's eyebrows furrowed as traces of confusion radiated off his form.

_That's right…Umbarans, like Zeltrons, have limited telepathy._

He outright smiled.

_Feel _this_, _huu'tun_._

Confidence flowed through him like a river, filling every pore and square inch of his battered frame. There wasn't a chance in _haran_ that Atono couldn't sense it, and as a result, his stance tightened up and grip on his saber tensed.

Xel smirked. _Gotcha._

The Mandalorian Knight charged once more, body spinning at the last second and adding power to a horizontal strike that nearly sent Atono's saber flying from his grasp. The Umbaran snarled and countered with strikes to his leg and shoulder, but Xel easily deflected them and twirled his saber clockwise behind his back as Atono swung for his neck. The Mando ducked under the strike, his saber transferring from his right hand to his left and coming up for a glancing slice across the Umbaran's left side.

Atono growled in pain and drew back, several diagonal strikes intercepted and countered with powerful blows that sent shudders up his arms. A slash at Xel's leg was redirected and countered when the Mando wing-blocked it and clubbed him in the side of the head with his pommel, then brought the last three inches of his blade slicing through Atono's right thigh. Yelling in agony, the Umbaran collapsed to his knees and swung once more in defiance. Xel calmly caught the blade in his left crushgaunt, thumbing off his own saber and stowing it as he ripped the weapon from Atono's grasp.

A shin-kick to the arms dealer's chest decked him out on the floor, and a moment later, the point of a violet blade was angled at his throat. Atono heaved several breaths, staring up at him with the first traces of fear.

"What—how—"

"Haven't you ever heard?" Xel asked tauntingly. He grinned malevolently. "_Ke nu'jurkadir sha Mando'ade_." At Atono's confused eyebrows, he explained. "Don't mess with Mandalorians. Words to live by."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

"What's that?"

Xel looked up at his brother as they climbed the hundred steps to the temple in the center of the academy. "This thing?" he asked, holding a necklace with the Mandalorian symbol as its centerpiece. "Maila gave it to me, before I left Mandalore."

"Orange?"

"Around the fringes of the chrome, yeah. Meant to represent—"

"_Shereshoy_. Lust for life."

Xel gave Alen a surprised look.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I was paying attention…most of the time."

The Mando just smirked and tucked the necklace into his shirt as they came to a stop before a large stone door.

"Now," Alen started, "prepare yourself. First time I went in here…bad stuff happened."

Xel looked at Alen. "Did he attack you?"

The Jedi's head shook. "It isn't Fenrim you have to be worried about. It's what you have to go through to _get _to him."

Caden's brows furrowed. "I don't understand."

Alen's lips pursed. "Master Uln isn't the only thing you'll encounter in there. I just want you to be ready."

Xel's jaw set. "I'm not afraid."

Alen looked at him for a few seconds. "You will be."

Xel gave his brother a long look, then turned to the door and opened it with the Force. He exhaled hard at the dust-littered darkness ahead, stepping inside the ancient building and fingering the lightsabers at his belt.

"May the Force be with you," his brother said, barely a moment before the door sealed him alone in the darkness.

…

Present

Mygeeto

A pair of green eyes fluttered open as their owner observed her surroundings.

_Hospital,_ she immediately decided. _A public one,_ she added a moment later as her eyes perceived dozens of medical beds filled with other wounded Mygeetans. _They must think I'm one of the riot victims._

With a groan, Mara pushed herself into a sitting position, inspecting her body and gauging the damage.

_Well…the good news is, it could've been worse._

She winced when even attempting to move her legs sent lances of fire through her body.

_Though not by much._

Mara put a hand to her head, feeling a bandage and hypodermal bacta patch over a considerable bump, exactly the spot where Atono had clubbed her. Taking a deep breath, the Emperor's Hand called on her training to speed up the healing process, since movement really wasn't an option. As her eyes flickered closed, a blinking light on her right drew her attention. She looked over to see a datapad lying on a tray right next to her bed. Frowning, Mara reached over, glancing around to confirm no one was looking, and powered it on.

A hologram of Xel Caden, battered and injured, but alive and smiling, filled her vision.

"Hello, Ms. Jade. I'm sorry to skip out on you like this, but you were in no state for…well…anything, and I had a bounty to cash in. Don't worry. Atono is somewhere he'll never be able to hurt anyone, I swear. I made a promise to that man we let go—and I always keep my promises. Seem to remember making you one as well, and as you can see, I kept that one too. Doctors say you'll be back on your feet in a couple of days, but we both know that'll only be a couple of hours."

He smiled genuinely. "I have to admit, if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be working a bounty alongside an Imperial agent that answers directly to the Emperor—and actually enjoying it—I'd have called the crazy police." His features sharpened seriously. "But that's how it happened…and I was honored to fight by your side." He shifted uneasily. "By the…same token…" His head shook slightly. "The galaxy isn't a terribly big place. Fact is, we'll probably bump into each other again at some point. I just want you to know that I wouldn't be opposed to it." He smiled a little. "Point of fact, if that does happen, I'd like to grab a quick caf with you." He chuckled. "Hopefully without the assassins this time."

Mara's lips twitched upward a little.

Xel's features sharpened again. "Goodbye, Mara Jade…and may the Force be with you."

…

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"Need anything else, _vod_?"

Xel waved his droid companion off, wincing at the pain the action brought him. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks, Tor."

Tor nodded once and strode off.

Xel sent another wave at the door controls, shutting it with a hiss, and slumped back into his bed. His armor lay in discarded stacks in the armory, the body suit completely ruined and his own body lined with dozens of bacta patches. He rolled onto his right side, the only one without injuries, and sighed hard, feeling the pressure of a thin cable pressing against the side of his chin. A small chuckle rumbled through his chest as a grin involuntarily spread over his features. He let out a small laugh, stopping when it started to hurt as his left hand lifted the centerpiece of his necklace into view.

"Crazy, isn't it? How the galaxy works. Three years ago, I would've killed someone like Mara, or tried to." He smirked. "Instead, I flirted with her." A giddy laugh bubbled from his throat. "I flirted," he said between laughs, "with the Emperor's Hand." His head shook at the ridiculousness of it. "This life is _never_ just black or white." He looked down at the necklace, stroking its surface with his thumb. "Thank you for teaching me that."

Xel's lips pressed against the metal jewelry, its chrome surface intentionally dulled to gray, the orange fringes still as bright as the day he'd received it. His head laid sideways against the pillow, eyes closing even as his left hand drifted to the side. The lights went out with a flicker of the Force, Xel following a moment later.

* * *

AN: And the Hand chapters are done! Hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I did writing them. Season 3, I've decided, will be as fun and lighthearted as I can make it without sacrificing the grittier aspects of the story, and after three years of training, I've decided to make Xel fit that mold a bit more.

I'm conflicted about what to do next, but since college is starting up again, I'm gonna have to take my time with it. I wanted to end this arc before things got too crazy, so I didn't leave you guys hanging.

Please review and leave your love at the door.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	43. The Last Jedi

The Kandosii'tal

3 years ABY

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep!_

A drowsy, upset growl came from a battered body, right hand swiping at a nearby terminal several times before falling right off the bed. Another growl, louder this time.

"Tor!"

The droid appeared in the doorway almost instantly. "Yes, sir?"

Xel glared up at him. "Why is my holocommunications terminal _four_ _feet_ from the bed?"

Tor looked at him quizzically, head tilted slightly. "Because…you put it there?"

Dark blue eyes narrowed. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you kept falling asleep after hitting the dismiss function, wanted to force yourself to wake up."

Xel glared at the offending device. "That is, by far, the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I don't believe I came up with it."

Tor pressed a control on his forearm, and Xel's voice projected from his vocabulator. "This can't happen again. From now on, I want an ascending tonal alarm on that terminal, and I want to have to get up to access it."

A frown came over Xel's features. "That's right…it was after the Alzoc III incident. If I had gotten there just five minutes late…" He sighed hard. "Keep it where it is."

An amused note came to Tor's tone as he walked away. "Yes, sir."

"And stop calling me sir."

"Of course, sir."

Xel rolled his eyes and clicked on the receiver. He smiled when a robed man filled the space above the projector.

"Xel," Alen greeted, "good to see you."

"Likewise," he replied. The younger man waved at his brother's head. "You been letting your hair grow out?"

He shrugged and ran a hand through his nearly shoulder-length hair. "Yeah…think I'll try it for a while. Took about a month or so to get it this far, and I haven't gotten anything but appreciative looks."

Xel smirked. "From whom, may I ask?"

"You may _not_," Alen replied with a firm look.

"What?" Xel asked petulantly. "Come on, _vod_, not even a hint?" He winked.

"You keep your private business private," the Jedi countered. "So do I."

Xel chuckled. "Fair enough."

Alen frowned. "Speaking of, what happened to you?"

He arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

The Jedi gaped slightly and waved at Xel's body animatedly.

Xel looked down. "Oh, this?" He waved dismissively. "Ah, it's nothin'. Had an unfortunate encounter with the wrong end of a turbolaser cannon. Triggered my jetpack at the last second. _Beskar_ took most of the excess heat, but a lot of shrapnel got through my body suit, and the concussive force threw me clear. Was out for almost ten minutes."

"Force…why didn't they finish you off?"

He shrugged. "I'd wager they missed my explosive exit, and besides, they had Mara to worry about."

Alen arched an eyebrow. "Mara?"

Xel waved dismissively. "Long story, and I suspect you didn't call just to catch up."

The Jedi's lips pursed. "I might have something for you."

"A job?"

His head shook. "Doesn't pay, but I think you'll be interested all the same."

Xel crossed his arms. "Hit me."

The image of a Falleen woman filled half of his vision.

The twitch of a snarl pulled at the Mando's lips. "Ze'tam Gossed."

"Thought that'd get your attention. Was slicing into an ISB databank when I ran across her name. Flagged it with a secondary worm virus and got a list of locations and operations tied to her."

Another light flashed on Xel's terminal.

"I just sent you a data packet with all of it. Hope you can do more than I can, because I tried to track some of those down for about a week with no luck."

Xel nodded firmly. "I'll get it done…and when I do, I want you ready to roll."

"Oh, no way in hell I'll miss this. You don't screw with our family and get away with it."

"_Ori'haat_." Damn straight.

"Anyway…I should get back to work. We miss you."

Xel smiled a little. "Yeah, I miss you too, _vod_. Remind Iola she still owes me the recipe for that _tizan_ cake."

Alen chuckled. "Will do. I love you, brother."

"Love you too. Caden out."

Xel closed the line and leaned against a nearby wall, sighing hard and staring off into the distance. His blue eyes snapped to the terminal after a moment, and he reached over and snatched a data drive from its access port, marching toward the armory.

"Tor, we have a new mission."

"How much?"

Xel's head shook. "No bounty. This one's personal."

A click sounded from Tor's head module. "The Falleen."

Xel nodded. "The Falleen. Lay in coordinates to Nar Shaddaa. We're going hunting."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

3 weeks ABY

_Snap-hiss_.

The pale blue light of Xel's ignited lightsaber illuminated a limited amount of the thick darkness surrounding him as he made his way deeper into the temple. His eyes scanned the dusty space for threats, finding none and wondering exactly why Alen had warned him about this place so fiercely. Snorting and rolling his eyes, Xel held his saber loosely, proceeding down the halls and taking a few moments to observe the ancient hieroglyphics, many of them bearing images and lettering he was completely unfamiliar with. This whole place felt foreign to him, like a snapshot of a completely different galaxy.

Of course, based on the history he'd been given, both by Alen and the holocron of their ancestor Jedi, he knew that Athiss had once been part of the Ancient Sith Empire, lost and abandoned after the destruction of its inhabitants by Emperor Vitiate. As such, many of these ruins contained potent Sith, and Jedi, artifacts, which was likely the reason why having so many Force-users in one place hadn't become a problem. The Force signature of the planet was likely already substantial enough to overshadow what little energy the residents emitted, essentially cloaking them from the Empire's Jedi hunters.

Xel had originally expressed leeriness over residing on a Sith world, but Alen assured him that there was no danger, as long as you were cautious and didn't do anything stupid. Xel had every intention of following both rules of thumb. As he proceeded further and further inside the temple, his consciousness became aware of a sickening cold feeling creeping up his spine. Snapping his head about, his jaw tightened. He felt eyes on him. Threatening eyes that hungered for blood. He grimaced as he kept moving forward, acutely feeling the absence of his armor, the only remaining pieces of _beskar_ his left gauntlet and crushgaunts, which he rarely traveled without.

Otherwise, he was outfitted in his gray synthleather jacket, which provided some limited protection with its ballistic mesh weave, but forced him to rely on his skills and Force abilities rather than armor. Taking a deep breath, Xel closed his eyes and tried to center himself.

_Mandalorians are more than armor. Jedi are more than lightsabers._

He closed down his saber and clipped it to his belt, letting the Force guide him through the darkness as he felt himself drawn further and further inward.

_"Traitor…"_

Blue eyes snapped open as flames flickered in the periphery of his limited vision. His breathing increased. Xel forced himself to calm and closed his eyes again.

_"Pretender…"_

He winced and kept moving, pushing past the sinister whispers.

_"Murderer…"_

Xel's jaw tightened as he put one hand against a wall, sliding against it for balance as he kept moving.

_"Coward."_

His eyes opened once more, blinking hard as his jaw dropped halfway.

_I know that voice._

Xel proceeded through a small archway ahead, into a large, flame-lit room comprised of grayish brown stone. An armored figure stood at the far end, flanked on either side by torches.

_No…can't be._

The figure turned about slowly, smirking at Xel with an inhuman glaze in his eyes. "Hello, Xel. It's been a long time."

Xel just stared at the man in muted shock until his brain caught up with his eyes. "_Buir_?"

…

Present

The Kandosii'tal

3 years, 1 month ABY

"In orbit over Balosar now."

"Thanks, Tor." Xel frowned at the viewscreen, helmet tucked under one arm as he observed the violet-hued world below. "So…what do you have to gain by coming here?" he asked absently, eyes narrowing. His head snapped to the droid. "Tor, are you patched into their docking mainframe?"

"Of course. The encryption wasn't difficult to crack with Alen's upgraded software."

"Go through the landing registry. Look for anything suspicious or noteworthy."

"Yes, sir." A few seconds passed, Tor's processor whirring with activity before clicking. "Two entries of note, sir. The first is a freighter marked for capture by Imperial authorities."

"For what?"

Another click. "Unknown. The priority is high, however, so I would expect high-end contraband. Spice or stolen military equipment, most likely."

Xel nodded. "I concur." He frowned. "And the other entry?"

"A…suspicious docking request."

"What's suspicious about it?"

"The ID for the ship involved appears to be a fabrication, though an expensive and highly detailed one."

Xel snorted and shook his head. "That in itself isn't particularly surprising, considering the planet we're on. Anything else you can tell me about it?"

Tor clicked. "Yes. The name on the entry: Lars Dunestrider."

The Mando's head cocked slightly, jaw working slowly as he thought it over. "Where have I heard that name before…?" His eyes closed as he used a Force technique to recall obscure memories. They snapped open a moment later as realization blossomed over his features. "Well I'll be…it's an alias."

"An alias?"

He nodded slowly, a curious expression passing over his face. "For Luke Skywalker." His eyes narrowed at the docking registry. "What's the Rebellion's number one ace pilot doing on a world like Balosar?" He stroked his chin for several moments before sighing and shaking his head. "No matter. We have our mission. Take us in, and bring us to the dock with that flagged freighter."

"Affirmative."

The _Kandosii'tal_ began to move under Tor's precise servos, the droid sparing Xel a glance.

"It should be noted that the freighter in question is docked barely a quarter mile from Commander Skywalker's vessel."

Xel blinked hard and gave his droid a long, sideways look. "Is that right? _Shab_." He breathed out hard. "Well then…looks like our job is about to get a _lot_ more interesting."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Xel stared at his father in muted shock, shaking his head after almost a full minute of silence. "What—how—I don't understand. How is this even possible?"

"Does it matter?" Xander asked in a sharp tone, taking a step toward his son.

Xel didn't like how he was feeling.

Xander's head shook slowly. "I'm disappointed in you, _ad'ika_. So very disappointed."

The younger Mando looked down and away, grimacing. "I know," he replied softly.

"You've failed me, in every way imaginable."

He stayed silent.

"Not only did you disobey my express command, but even in doing so failed in your purpose because you gave up. You ran away."

"I had to," he said brokenly. "The damage I'd already caused—"

"Was substantial, I know. But given that, you didn't think it necessary to have made your mistakes, all the sacrifices _worth it_?!"

"I couldn't…Vader was too strong."

"No, son."

Xel froze in place at a new voice from another passage.

"_You_ were too weak."

The boy felt tears prick at his eyes as Telia stepped from the shadows and sidled up next to her husband, observing him with a critical eye, the same he'd seen when they'd met on Raydonia.

"All that pain…you let it destroy you rather than build you up. You refused to learn from your mistakes, and innocents paid the price."

"You think I don't know that?" he shouted desperately, fingers clawing through his hair as he stumbled against a wall. "I still hear their screams…almost every night. Almost a month I've been here and it hasn't stopped, hasn't even calmed." His head thudded against the stone. "I'm starting to think it never will."

"And do you think it's any less than you deserve?"

Xel's eyes widened as he snapped his head toward the new voice.

The narrowed green eyes of Linn Riilos watched his every move as she paced around him in an arc. "You've racked up quite the body count, my dear Xel. On _both_ sides." She snorted, coming to a stop next to his parents and crossing her arms. "And to think I once had feelings for you."

Xel stared at the trio with a critical gaze. "You're not real. This is…this isn't real."

"No?" Telia asked, one eyebrow arched. "Have you forgotten everything I've taught you? About the nature of life and the Force, how the two are irrevocably connected? One cannot exist without the other, so as long as one is present, the other remains. Our bodies may be dead, but our life lives on beyond that."

Xel's head shook violently, eyes closed as his palms pressed against the sides of his head. "No…_no_…"

"Your failures know no bounds," said no one voice in particular. "Your blindness has slain us all."

The Mando looked up, eyes widening as the halls of the temple faded away into darkness, a sourceless light illuminating the faces of thousands of people, most unfamiliar but some recognizable, especially the badly burned Weequay and Epicanthix that marched forward to stand beside Linn and the parents.

They were the faces that stared back at him in his dreams.

"Stop," he pleaded in a whisper, the air thick and suffocating. "Please…I know I've failed. I _understand_ now."

"No," Xander replied. "You don't."

As he looked at each of their faces, their last moments flashed through his vision. Linn, gunned down by Stormtroopers. En and Ijul, slain in an explosion. Xander, executed by Vader. Telia, cut down by the apprentice. And the rest. One after another after another, Imperials and rebels alike, all by various ways and methods. Sometimes by his lightsaber, sometimes his blaster, sometimes by explosions and even other soldiers. But all on him…every last one. His breathing became labored as he stumbled back into a wall, the press of bodies approaching him on every side.

"And you call _me_ a monster?"

Cold dread ran through Xel's blood as his head turned to the left, the faces fading into the edges of his consciousness as Darth Vader stepped from the shadows, just the flash of his faceplate and cloak, the silhouette of his massive body.

"You are broken," Vader said plainly and disappointedly. "It is clear that you will never be of use to me. Apprentice…dispose of him."

Another cold presence tugged at the back of his head, and he whirled about toward another doorway to see a hooded and cloaked figure, none of his features visible. When Xel glanced back, Vader was gone, and he was left with only the silver-eyed demon of his nightmares.

_Snap-hiss_.

A hateful red blade lit up the shadows where the apprentice stood, its dim light illuminating barely the lower third of his face, the only features of his that Xel had ever seen. But those eyes…his silver eyes seemed to glow in the dark, piercing through the shadow and slice through his very soul. It took nearly ten full seconds for Xel to regain enough presence of mind to register his approach as a threat. His right hand dipped to his side, and another lightsaber lit the darkened space as Xel held it with slightly shaking hands. A moment of silence, save for the hum of their sabers, passed as they faced off.

And then fire rang in Xel's blood as battle filled his veins once more.

…

Present

Balosar

"Do you want me to come with you, sir?"

Xel glanced back at his droid copilot and shook his head. "I need you here with the ship."

Tor crossed his arms and t-visor glared at him. "That's what you said last time."

"Well, _this_ time I mean it. Balosar is a crime-ridden cesspit of thugs and scum who would like nothing more than to hijack a fine piece of tech like the _Kandosii'tal_. I need you here as…pest repellent."

A heavy mechanical sigh came from Tor's vocabulator. "As you wish, _vod_."

Xel smirked. "Good man." His helmet went over his features a moment later. "I'll be back soon. I hope."

A few minutes later saw the Mando striding down the halls of a dilapidated spaceport, the air thick with toxic pollution and tension. This whole planet seemed on a hair trigger. Not even on the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa or Coruscant had he felt so strongly inclined to take preemptive shots at _everyone_ around him. It took a physical effort to restrain himself from gripping the hilt of his blaster.

_Why in the nine hells of Korriban_ _would Luke Skywalker come here? Alone, no less? Something doesn't add up._

Alen had been more in contact with the Rebellion than him, keeping track of their old friends and making a few new ones while he took odd jobs to benefit them. As such, his path had crossed with Skywalker's more than once, especially since they were both Jedi-in-training and had reputations for excellence. The "Hero of the Rebellion," they called Luke. Based on his track record, Xel couldn't exactly blame them. However, the one thing Alen had pointed out from their limited contact was Luke's _unbelievable_ naiveté. So idealistic, he reminded Alen a lot of himself…maybe five years ago.

And all this despite losing his aunt and uncle, the only parental figures in his life for the better part of nineteen years, as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi, his master, to the Empire. The suffering and struggle he'd endured the last three years since destroying the Death Star hadn't dulled his brightness. If anything, it had only made him burn brighter, and that, more than anything, was why the Rebellion saw in him a hero. Not the best soldier or tactician, and certainly not the most savvy of covert operatives, but he was arguably the best pilot in their ranks and a truly good man.

Good men were rare these days—too rare. So when one came on the scene, indomitable, incorruptible, and just so happened to be a Jedi…well…the odds were so far stacked in his favor that it wasn't even funny. Xel had never met him personally, but he suspected that if and when that happened, it would take a titanic force of effort to restrain from gagging at all the nobility in the air—if Balosar's toxic atmosphere didn't kill him first. Thus far, his helmet's filters were keeping the heavy pollution from affecting him physiologically, but the smells…

He coughed. No filter, no matter how effective, could get that much _eww_ out of the air.

_Focus, Caden. Just get to that freighter and find out what they're hauling._

A flash of dirty blonde hair flew through his peripheral vision, but when he turned, there was no one there. Eyes narrowing, Xel proceeded deeper into the spaceport. His right hand scraped away engine oil that had caked over the markings of one hangar, revealing his destination on the other side of the door. He stepped inside and kept to the shadows, observing the freighter from a distance.

_SoroSuub Luxury 3000 Yacht. Expensive vehicle for common criminals._

His helmet's built-in macrobinoculars gave him a view of the loading ramp, where various crates and workers were moving in either direction. Eyes narrowing he was about to move closer when a warning from the Force prompted him to turn halfway around. The charging whine of a blaster stopped him.

"So," said a young voice, "you came to finish what you started."

Xel blinked hard, reaching out with the Force and letting his eyes widen as he identified his attacker. Smirking, the Mando turned the rest of the way around, hands up, to find a DL-44 leveled at his head. "Might want to watch where you point that, Skywalker…or you might find it's at someone you can't handle."

The pilot's eyes widened and lips parted slightly behind the breather mask he had on. "You're not him." His blaster lowered and holstered.

Xel's head cocked slightly. "Not who?"

Luke's head shook. "Doesn't matter." He was about to move away when he stopped short and gave Xel a sideways look.

"Yes?" the Mando asked with an arched eyebrow.

Skywalker gave him a long look. "You're Xel Caden, aren't you?"

Xel stared at him. "How do you know my name?"

Luke snorted. "I'm not sure there's a soldier in the Alliance who doesn't know your name. Forged quite the reputation before you went rogue."

The Mando just grunted and shrugged as he turned back to the ship. "Whatever," he grumbled. Xel froze a second later. "Wait…what are you doing here?" He looked back at Luke, who gave him a quizzical look. "What does the Alliance want with a backwater cesspit like Balosar?"

Luke crossed his arms and glared. "Not that it's any of your business, but the Alliance didn't send me here."

Xel's head shook slightly. "I don't understand."

"Nor do you need to," he replied, crouching down next to the hunter.

Caden gave the older man a long look. "That freighter…what's your interest?"

Luke sighed hard. "It's a long story."

"It'll take them a while to unpack, so I'd say we've got time."

Another sigh. "I've been tracking a particular shipment across the galaxy—a shipment of Jedi artifacts—and I believe it's landed on this freighter."

"Jedi artifacts…"

Luke gave him a look. "What?"

Xel's head shook. "Before we landed here, my copilot told me that that freighter was marked for interdiction and seizure by the Empire for quote, 'high-end contraband.'" He looked to Luke. "What could be more illicit and high-end than Jedi artifacts? With any luck, whatever you're looking for is in there." He nodded at the ship.

Luke smirked. "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

Xel barely restrained a groan as he rolled his eyes.

Luke closed his.

The Mando gave him a sideways look. "What are you doing?"

"Concentrating," he answered quietly. "There's something…" His voice cut off abruptly as his eyebrows knitted together in focus.

Xel stretched out with the Force to feel something brush against his consciousness. "I feel it too," he said softly, breaking Luke's concentration but getting a spark of hope from him. "Why are you so intent on getting that stuff, anyway?"

Luke frowned. "I'm the last of the Jedi…" he gave Xel a sideways look, "or, one of the last." His head shook. "My master's dead. The other Jedi are dead…for the most part. And whoever's left is…woefully inexperienced."

Xel winced but didn't argue. "So you think whatever's on that ship will help you become a better Jedi? Seems fair." He nudged Skywalker's arm with his own. "Word of advice, though, Ace. The best training? Doesn't come from books and lessons." He drew a blaster. "It comes from experience." Xel stood and made for the freighter's approach. "So let's get you some."

"Whoa, wait!"

The Mando pulled up short.

Luke waved at the freighter incredulously. "You really want to go in there guns blazing? Get the whole spaceport after us?"

"It won't be if no one's able to call for help."

The pilot glared at him. "So you'll just kill them all to keep 'em silent?"

"I didn't say that. There are ways to silence people without killing, but if it comes down to it—"

Luke approached and shoved his blaster barrel down. "No one has to die here. I'll just negotiate their release."

Xel snorted and holstered his blaster. "Really? You and what army? If these thugs have been hauling that shipment halfway across the galaxy like you say, chances are, they know what they have. Do you have any idea how much that stuff is worth on the black market?"

Luke arched an eyebrow. "A lot?"

"A _lot_. Like…more than it costs to build a Star Destroyer, a lot." He approached Luke, face to faceplate. "So unless you can front that kind of cash, force is gonna be our only bargaining chip with these guys."

Luke smirked confidently. "You're absolutely right. _Force_ is going to be our only way."

Xel tilted his head. "Huh?"

Skywalker just walked past him with a firmness to his step.

"Ooooh…I gotcha. Well, good luck with that."

Luke glanced back at him. "Wait, you're not coming?"

Xel snorted and shook his head as he leaned back against a nearby pillar, arms crossed. "One guy with a lightsaber is enough of a red flag without a fully armored Mando standing behind him. If I were you, I'd hide that thing a bit better." He motioned to the saber sitting on Luke's belt.

The older man frowned but took his advice and tucked the saber into an inside pocket of his light brown jacket. As Xel stood and watched from the outside, Luke strode up to the gangplank of the ship and pulled his breather mask off, grimacing and coughing hard at the polluting fumes that filled his lungs. The Mando just smirked and shook his head.

_Farmboy._

Luke approached two men at the top of the yacht's gangplank, one busy moving a crate on repulsorlifts, the other standing off to the side overseeing the operation. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

They both gave him a look.

"I'd like to take a look at some of your merchandise, if that's all right."

The alien pair snorted and exchanged an amused look.

Luke just sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, snapping them open again a moment later. "You will show me the contents of your cargo hold."

Xel arched an eyebrow as the smugglers exchanged a look, then broke out laughing.

"Look at this smoothskin," one told the other in Huttese. "Thinks he owns the ship."

"I don't," Luke replied sharply, getting their attention. "But I have interest in a crate on this ship, and I'm not leaving without it."

They gave him a suspicious look, straightening up as their hands hovered near their blasters.

Luke looked each of them over, pursing his lips. "I don't want to hurt either of you, but I don't have time to waste with your posturing, so can we move this along?"

Xel arched an eyebrow, nodding slowly. _Guy's got _gett'se_._

One of the smugglers got up in Luke's face and glared. "And what do you have to bring to the table, eh?"

Luke glared back. "Show me the merchandise and you'll find out."

The smugglers exchanged one last look before one jerked his head toward the top of the ramp. Luke surreptitiously glanced back at Xel, who nodded to him reassuringly as he was escorted inside the yacht.

…

_At least the smell is better in here._

Luke grimaced.

_If only just slightly._

The ship's air filters, if there were any, smelled like they hadn't been changed in over a year, but considering the mostly alien crew of the vessel, Luke couldn't say he was surprised. Many species not related to humans even enjoyed inhaling and essentially "drinking" toxic fumes. Luke, nevertheless, found himself holding his breath, a necessary measure since his attempts at influencing the two outside had failed even without a breather mask to hinder his efforts. Based on the little he'd learned about the Force, both from Ben himself and his journal, influencing the minds of others was tricky, especially when it came to aliens.

Many species, like the Nikto, had natural resistance against Force manipulation, and since most of the yacht's crew were nonhumans, the chances of his meager skills overpowering their wills were minimal. He'd have to rely on his negotiating skills…which were nowhere near up to par. Suddenly, he felt extremely foolish to have walked into this ship.

_At least I have my lightsaber._

_"Violence is not always necessary."_

Luke froze for a step, catching the attention of his escort, and forced himself to keep moving. "Ben?" he whispered.

_"These smugglers are creatures of greed. Greed is a weakness that can be exploited far more easily than a weak mind."_

"But how?" he asked, still in a whisper. No answer. "Ben?"

Luke frowned, but said nothing more. Three years that had been happening now. Master Kenobi's voice coming to him from across the bounds of death itself, giving him aid or guidance every so often when he needed it the most. Of course, that guidance was rarely clear-cut or understandable in the _least_, at least, not until the right context appeared or Luke thought about it hard. Sometimes Ben's interference only served to confuse him more. He could only hope that he'd be able to do something with this new message before these criminals realized he had nothing to bring to the table.

"Right in here."

One of them waved Luke into what looked like the cargo hold, where a man in a high-end nerf-leather jacket stood overseeing the transfer.

_The captain,_ Luke decided.

As he turned toward the Jedi-in-training, Luke's heart nearly leapt out of his chest in excitement. The captain was human.

"My men," he said suspiciously, "tell me you're interested in making an acquisition."

Luke gulped slightly and straightened up, squaring his shoulders. "That's right. I heard you were hauling some cargo that might be of use to me and figured I'd have a look at your stock."

The captain approached him, eyes narrowing critically as he looked him over. "And why the hell would I let some punk-ass kid do that?"

Luke tensed up, exerting physical effort to keep his expression level.

_Greed…greed…_

He blinked once, relaxing a moment later as he smiled a little. "Because I'm not here for myself." Luke straightened up and clasped his hands behind his back, broadening his shoulders. "I represent the illustrious Jabba the Hutt, lord of Tatooine and leader of Clan Desilijic." He arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps you've heard of him?"

The man's eyes widened almost comically as he cleared his throat and straightened up in respect. "Well y-yes, of course I have."

Luke paced the hold confidently, stretching out with the Force and feeling its tug toward a particular section. "Then you also know that he pays very well those who do him service."

"Oh yes," the man answered.

Luke leaned over a crate, the tug insistent but still too blurry to pin down. Frowning briefly, he turned back to the captain. "You'll be excited to know that Jabba is interesting in purchasing some merchandise of great value." His head cocked slightly. "Specifically, a shipment of lost Jedi artifacts."

The captain visibly paled. "Um…I don't mean to be rude, but would it be possible for Lord Jabba to be interested in something else? See, we already have a buyer for that particular crate."

Luke arched an eyebrow. "Someone who can pay better than my master?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Probably about as much…but see, it's about more than just money." He drew closer. "We already agreed on a price and meet location. If we fail to deliver…these guys'll skin us alive."

Luke sent the captain a firm glare. "And you think Jabba will do any less to you? Or me, for failing to make the purchase? Come now, captain. We both know how this ends. Whoever this other buyer is can't compare with the influence and force my master possesses."

The captain's head shook. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. See…the other buyer?" He drew close and whispered. "Is Black Sun."

_Black Sun,_ Luke's thoughts echoed with a shudder. If there was anyone Luke absolutely did not want to piss off, it was Darth Vader, Jabba the Hutt, and Black Sun, in that order…though perhaps Black Sun and Jabba could be switched at this point. The criminal syndicate had grown considerably in the last three years, ever since the Death Star's destruction, and rumors had arisen that the Emperor himself was offering their leader a place in his court. If half of what he'd heard was true…then staying on Balosar a minute longer than necessary suddenly became a very, _very_ bad idea.

"It may be a gamble," Luke began, "but if I were a betting man, I'd be willing to bet that not even Black Sun will want to tangle with the Cartel when they find out who snagged their prize. All the same, I'd suggest you disappear for a while—perhaps to Nar Shaddaa, where my lord might be able to better protect you."

The captain crossed his arms. "That's assuming that I give you the merchandise, kid. Which I haven't agreed you, and won't unless you pay me double what they did, up front."

Luke took a step closer to him, putting on a stern face. "Show me what you have first, and then I'll decide if it's worth it."

He frowned, but nodded. "Fair enough."

The man ushered Luke toward a black-and-gray container in the darkest corner of the hold. Luke understood its placement the moment he saw it. Painted on its top in stark white paint—was the Imperial insignia. The captain cracked open the crate, and Luke nearly cried as his jaw dropped. Inside were parts, power cells, schematics, and a holocron—a device he recognized from drawings in his master's journal.

_Motherlode…_

How that much Jedi technology had escaped the Imperials' clutches Luke couldn't figure, but there was no way he'd complain. A grin spread over his features.

"I'll take it."

"Money first," the captain said as he slammed the lid shut.

Luke straightened up, some tension leaking into his frame as he took a breath.

_ Okay…here goes._

He waved his hand subtly. "You will give me the crate now and go to Nar Shaddaa to await payment."

The captain snarled and crossed his arms. "The hell I will! You really think I'm about to kick Black Sun in the teeth without an insurance plan?"

Luke took a deep breath, forcing down the panic and calming his mind the way Ben had taught him. Closing his eyes, he called out to the Force, feeling warm confidence flow through him as it answered. His eyes opened, an authoritative tone to his voice that hadn't been there before. "You will give me the crate now and go to Nar Shaddaa to await payment."

Instantly, the captain's expression and posture changed, his pupils dilating slightly as he straightened up. "I will give you the crate now and go to Nar Shaddaa to await payment."

Luke pursed his lips. "Tell your men there's been a change of plans, to offload the crate in bay D23."

"Right away," the captain answered.

A relieved breath left Luke's lungs as he carded a hand through his hair and the captain barked orders to his men.

_So far so good…a lot smoother than the last time I tried this._

A grateful smile came to his lips as he closed his eyes.

_Thank you, Ben. You saved my life…again._

Five minutes later, the crate was sent off via repulsor cart to bay D23, Luke walking out as soon as possible so as not to press his luck. He was about to leave the hangar when the sounds of a scuffle came from behind a stack of crates. Luke rounded the corner to let his eyes widen when he saw Xel Caden being restrained by four men at once, a fifth sending him a grin with dark glee.

"Well I'll be a Hutt's nephew," he said. "All this time lookin' for you, and you decide to come straight to us." The man grabbed Xel by the throat. "Gossed's gonna enjoy peeling you, Mando boy."

Luke's heart leapt in his chest as he approached the group. "Hey!"

They whirled toward him, a warning feeling coming from Xel.

"Let him go," Luke said firmly, with as much Force power as he could conjure.

The alien on the receiving end closed his eyes halfway, rather drowsily, then shook his head, as if shaking off sleep. "Kid, you better just turn around and walk away."

"Listen to him, Ace," Xel added.

"Shut up!" The Devaronian drove a fist into his armored gut.

"I said—" Luke began threateningly.

_Snap-hiss_.

"—let him go."

Five smugglers and one Mando looked toward Luke to see him holding a metal cylinder in both hands, a blazing shaft of blue light coming from one end. The light shone over Luke's young frame with a menacing glow as he glared daggers at the criminals. They each turned toward him, two letting go of Xel to draw blasters with the fifth man, all of them leveled against Luke.

Xel just sighed hard, shaking his head. "Come on, Ace," he practically groaned. "Why'd you have to go and do that?"

* * *

AN: Hehehehehe…Luke Skywalker. So, if it wasn't clear, Luke is by far my favorite character from any of the movies, with Han Solo in a close second.

Not really much to say on this chapter. Just that the deal with the Falleen will be explained in due time. As for Luke and why he's out there alone, I got the idea from the comic series "Skywalker Strikes," which features him doing much the same on Tatooine. Awesome series. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter and, as always, are looking forward to more. It should take only one more chapter to wrap this arc up. The Athiss side of things is…complicated. It's gonna take me a while to nail down where I want to go with it, but I promise, there is good reason for all the flashbacks.

Read on and review at your leisure.

_Oya vode_.

\- CDrake


	44. Ace in the Hole

Balosar

3 years, 1 month ABY

"Now, gentlemen, let's not do anything hasty—"

"We cash him in, we don't need to keep hauling scrap for idiot crime lords. Hey Regg, what's the bounty on Jedi these days?"

A smuggler, a Klatooinian, grinned nastily. "Gotta be about a hundred mill now."

Xel arched an eyebrow inside his helmet. "For real? I thought it was twenty."

They glanced back at him, the Klatooinian speaking up. "That was years ago. Rare as Jedi are these days? The Empire'll make anyone who cashes one in filthy rich."

"Is that right?" Xel gave Luke a sideways look. "Well in that case, I think we found a common interest."

The smugglers rounded on him. "Really? You, who's working with this Jedi scum?"

Xel snorted. "Working with him? I don't even _know_ him."

The Klatooinian pointed at Luke, who was watching this exchange tensely. "Then why'd he try to protect you?"

"Why do you think?" Xel snarled. "Because he's a Jedi, an outdated, sanctimonious, stupidly noble fugitive." His t-visor turned to Luke. "Who doesn't know what's good for him."

The rebel ace pilot sent him a narrow-eyed glare.

"Besides," Xel said, slowly reaching down and dropping a lightsaber from one of his hardcases, "his saber will make a good addition to my collection."

The Mando sent an almost-imperceptible nod in Luke's direction as the smugglers released him and turned to face the pilot. He stowed his lightsaber and reached into a pocket just behind the hardcase, a small spherical device brushing against his fingers. A small but quick snap of his wrist sent the small ball rolling in front of the smugglers. They looked down at it, startled.

"Close your eyes!" Xel shouted at Luke, who obeyed just as a blinding flash went off, rendering the smugglers unable to see. "Go, go, go!"

Luke closed down his saber and clipped it to his belt as they stormed out a side exit of the hangar, the smugglers screaming murderously in their wake. Just two turns later, one of the spaceport guards, a native Balosar, put a finger to his ear and glanced in the direction of the pair suspiciously. His eyes widened comically a second later, and his flanged voice shouted at his partners.

"Oh hell…" Xel snapped his head to Luke, grabbing his arm and resuming their run. "You just _had_ to pull that saber, didn't you?"

"It was the only way to get them off you!"

"Are you kidding? Would've been better off just shooting the lot of them. Then we wouldn't have the whole damn planet chasing after us!" He glanced at Luke. "Besides, I had it handled."

Luke snorted. "_Sure_ you did. And my grandfather is Jabba the—"

"Down!" Xel shouted, yanking Luke into a maintenance shaft that dropped them into an angled ventilation system.

One floor after the next they rolled, accumulating quite the bruise count, Xel was sure, until he felt a sharp warning from the Force and reached out to catch the edge of a grating frame. His other hand snapped out to grab Luke's, stopping them from free-falling another two floors—into a rotating metal fan. A few rapid, heavy breaths came from both of them as they stared down at the deathtrap, the pair exchanging a look.

"Okay," Xel said finally, "I'll admit—this probably wasn't the best of ideas."

"Better than getting shot," Luke grunted, pulling himself back into the vent. "Least the only thing we have to deal with here is gravity."

Angry shouts in alien languages came from where they came.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…"

Xel grabbed his arm. "Hold onto me!"

Startled, Luke obeyed as Xel leapt out of the tube and triggered his jetpack, sending them a floor up and into another ventilation tube. Alien yells came from their previous perch, intensifying until they reached a fever pitch and several dark figures fell out.

"Ohhh…"

Both young men grimaced as the sounds of wet crunching filled the air.

"Did _not_ need to see that," Xel said, crawling up the tube.

"Got that right," Luke said somewhat breathily, looking rather pale in the darkened recesses of the vents.

"Come on, Ace. Gotta keep moving."

The Jedi-in-training nodded and didn't stray more than three feet from his back as both of them clambered through the tunnels until they came to a vertical shaft. Xel closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force to get a feel for his surroundings.

"There are at least six about one floor above us."

Xel glanced back at Luke, the speaker. He smiled behind his helmet. "Not bad, Ace. But what about the turret over the door they're guarding?"

Luke scrunched his eyes up and frowned, shaking his head as he looked up at Xel. "I don't feel it."

The Mando chuckled and tapped his helmet. "Neither do I. S'why I'm jacked into their security systems."

Luke shot him an unamused look.

Xel's head shook as he aimed his grappling hook up the shaft. "One thing you gotta learn…you can't rely on the Force for everything. Most things…but not everything." He fired his hook and tested the anchor. "Sometimes you gotta use your eyes and wits more than the Force."

"Ben told me that your eyes can deceive you, not to trust them."

The Mando shrugged. "It's true, they can." He winced. "Trust me, I know that better than most. But, the best times, times where you reach a peak of performance, is when you learn to balance trusting the Force with your own natural skills and wits. Use one or the other, and you're good. Use both, and you become more powerful than the sum of your parts."

Luke chuckled as he grabbed Xel's outstretched hand. "You sound like Han."

The Mando glanced at him. "Solo, right?"

Luke frowned at him. "How do you know so much about the Rebellion?"

Xel jabbed a thumb into his chest. "Jedi brother, still has ties to your revolution, remember?"

Luke blinked hard. "Oh, right."

The Mando's eyes narrowed as he reeled them both up toward the grate, fast at first, then slower as they approached the exit. "Three on either side of a blast door," he whispered to Luke.  
"We're on the side with the turret."

Luke frowned, but nodded and drew his blaster with one hand while the other held onto Xel's arm. They exchanged one more nod before Xel tensed up.

"Now!"

He tossed Luke through the grate, sending the metal cover flying as the pilot rolled into the room and fired repeatedly. Two guards went down within the first second, the third following a moment later as the turret spun toward their attacker. A salvo of automatic shots perforated its hydraulics and caused it to hang limply from the ceiling as Xel joined his rebel companion. Another shot went into the door controls to prevent the three on the other side from joining the party, courtesy of Luke. Meanwhile, Xel was busy looking for another way out.

"Okay," he said somewhat flippantly. "Since we're in this mess because of you, it's your call: out into the open or through another ventilation shaft?"

Luke glanced between the two options for a moment before spotting a third. "What about that?" he asked, pointing at a half-scrapped speeder.

Xel snorted. "If that thing still has an engine attached, I'm game, but we'll be completely exposed outside the spaceport."

"Better than being on foot and exposed."

The Mando shrugged, conceding the point. "Sure you can pilot this thing?"

Luke smirked confidently as he mounted into the driver's seat and his hands flew over the controls. "I can pilot _anything_."

As the speeder's dying engines thrummed to life, Xel wondered if there was anything to pilot on this thing. Two parallel glows appeared at the blast door as the guards started to cut their way through.

"Anytime, Ace," Xel prompted.

Luke's eyes narrowed as his lips pursed in concentration. "Almost…got it!"

He punched the throttle, speeding them out the open hangar exit and into the polluted atmosphere of Balosar. Massive metal towers surrounded them on every side as their vision decreased considerably, the smog and exhaust of various factory buildings nearly blinding them. The only saving grace of this atmosphere was that their pursuers probably wouldn't be able to see them. His theory was debunked moments later as the spaceport turbolasers opened fire on them.

"Uh, Skywalker—"

"I see it!"

The ace pilot juked around one blast after the next as he pushed the choking engine to its limits.

"Take a left here, and fly low to the surface! They won't risk firing on their own building!"

Luke nodded and obeyed, swerving in a zigzag pattern as he coasted over the surface of the spaceport. Nevertheless, the turrets kept going, tracking their every move with one near miss after the next.

"Seriously?!" Luke yelled.

"They must think that bounty outweighs any potential damage."

If those thugs had been right about its amount, they were probably right.

"I'm open to suggestions here!" Luke shouted.

Xel's lips pursed. "Did you come here with a droid, by any chance?"

Luke glanced back at him. "Yeah, my R2 unit, why?"

"Can it fly your ship?"

"Of course," Luke replied, swerving around another explosion.

"Arc left here and head for the hangar at the far end."

"Got it."

Another tight turn later, and the turrets opened fire once more, a shudder flowing through their speeder as Luke struggled to keep control of the vehicle.

"Hang on, this is gonna be rough!"

Xel grit his teeth as he braced himself, his ship's hangar in sight. _Isn't it always?_

…

3 years ago

Athiss

3 weeks ABY

Xel stared at the red blade held by the approaching Sith, his silver eyes burning with cold hatred. The boy's hands adjusted around the grip of his saber as sweat started to slide down his skin. A long gulp went through his throat as the apprentice paced around him, getting closer with every rotation. If he had stopped to think and not just feel, Xel might've realized that despite knowing who this man was and what he'd done, he felt no anger for him, only cold dread, a complete reversal in the space of less than three months.

Without word or preamble, the apprentice lunged and slashed upward, nearly disarming Xel with his first strike. Tightening his jaw, Xel's grip solidified and shifted as his opponent came in with one strike after the next, to his shoulder, head, leg. Though he met the red blade with every strike, the blows came in so fast that he could barely keep up. Twisting away from a thrust on the apprentice's part, Xel tried to elbow him in the side of the head, the strike ducked and countered with a stabbing elbow into his gut.

Coughing and gasping, Xel withdrew as fast as he could, feeling the heat from the edge of the red blade just miss the fabric of his tunic. He swung his blade downward, his first bladed counterattack of the duel, and felt it batted aside like a leaf in the wind. Blow after blow hammered Xel's defenses as he withdrew step by step, finding himself pushed up against a wall and pinned there when the apprentice locked swords with him. None of his face was visible, even at this distance, the shadows of his hood still obscuring his features, but those silver eyes were clear as day and cold as ice.

Sparks and light flew from their blades' point of contact as Xel grimaced and squinted against the blinding flashes. The lock drew closer to his face.

_"Traitor."_

_ "Murderer."_

_ "_Dar'manda_!"_

_ "Bastard!"_

The heat of the lightsabers drew closer to Xel's skin as he stared up at the apprentice, not a word passing between them but his eyes communicating everything they needed to. For the briefest of moments, Xel actually considered letting his arms go limp, letting the red blade claim him. He knew people, soldiers that had been executed for far less than what he'd done, who'd died for far nobler reasons. What right did he have to continue when they didn't?

_"Failure."_

_ "Pathetic."_

Tears slid down his cheeks as the shadows behind the apprentice filled with the faces of the dead once more. Sparks flew from the sabers, stinging and burning his skin, but he didn't even feel them as he looked behind the hooded man to see Telia staring back at him. His eyes flickered from Telia to the apprentice, and for the first time in over a month, he felt true, unabashed, unrestrained anger fill his blood. He reveled in it, let it fill his every pore…and then he felt the lightsabers push away from him as he shoved the apprentice back.

Several rage-driven vertical strikes rained down on the apprentice, but the Sith barely withdrew two steps before spinning his saber and smacking Xel's blade out to the side. His sword spun in the opposite direction, the tip flicking across Xel's left forearm, slicing through and causing a shallow cut. Hissing in pain, Xel withdrew and thrusted his blade toward the apprentice, the strike redirected and melding into a downward diagonal strike. The apprentice redirected the strike once more, countering with a wide swing that Xel leaned into.

He shoved the Sith back with his shoulder, slashing his blade upward and feeling it nearly leave his grip when his target batted his saber in the opposite direction of its motion. Pain exploded in Xel's upper right arm as the apprentice sliced through, causing a deep burning gash. Another slice took a chunk of his upper right thigh, and he collapsed to one knee as the breath left his lungs in a pained gasp. Desperate gasps left his throat as he tried to stand, swinging his blade up to block a falling vertical strike. A kick was planted on his chest a second later, knocking him onto his back.

A falling strike slashed through the stone floor as Xel barrel-rolled to the side and tried to recover. Pain lanced through his injured limbs as he tried to stand, red spots exploding in his vision as he looked about with frenzied glances. The shadows surrounded him on every side, closing in and choking him as the air filled with the stench of burning flesh. Xel crawled toward a nearby tunnel, fear and desperation fueling his movements. He heard the approach of a humming blade and turned about as he rose to a crouch and swiped the apprentice's saber to the side.

He tried to counterattack, but his attacks were like the bite of a flea. His saber's blade was swept aside, and agony lanced through his torso as the apprentice slashed a wide gash across his back. A scream was torn from his throat as he collapsed flat on his face, deactivated saber in his hand as he kept crawling. His legs tucked against his chest as several sharp kicks impacted his ribs and gut, the pain from his cuts increasing by massive margins as the whispers increased in volume and number.

"_Worthless!"_

"_Mandalorian scum!"_

"Hut'uun_!"_

Tears streamed down Xel's face as he kept crawling through the darkness. Another kick stomped on his flayed back, and he screamed again as his chest hit the ground. He groaned as he pushed himself over, halfway onto his back. His blue eyes looked up at the silver ones boring down on him, the red glow of the apprentice's blade casting a sinister light over his black-robed figure. He leaned down ever-so-slightly, looming over the prone, maimed boy, silver eyes narrowed threateningly.

"How far the mighty have fallen," he mocked in his deep, Imperial-accented voice. He straightened up. "And to think that Lord Vader wanted to replace me…with _you_."

His saber rose in a two-handed grip as alarm shot through every fiber of Xel's body. In a desperate maneuver, both his hands shot up, and a wave of Force energy slammed into the apprentice, catapulting him back into the darkness. Gasping wildly, Xel strained and pushed himself to his feet, leaning heavily against a wall as he limped through the hall. A furious roar slammed into his back, and he looked back to see an approaching red glow. His breathing rate accelerated to hyperventilating proportions as his pace increased, head glancing back every other second as the glow steadily intensified.

And then he blinked, and the glow vanished, along with the darkness, as the floor gave out beneath his feet. His arms went up to shield his face as his body tumbled down the stone steps of the temple, impact after impact lighting up his body in waves of pain. When he finally stopped moving, his vision was almost completely filled with black, but he hung on as his previous alarm persisted. Breaths left his body in rapid, choppy gasps as his vision began to return, the adrenaline in his system keeping him running on overdrive as his hearing began to return.

A gentle touch at his shoulder prompted him to ignite his saber and angle it toward the source. It took him a few moments to register the shocked gasps of several sources and the wide-eyed expression of his brother looking down at him, Xel's blade mere inches from his neck.

"Xel," he whispered softly. "Xel, it's all right. You're okay."

"No," Xel gasped. "No, you don't understand. He's in there…Vader's apprentice—"

"No," Alen replied, "he isn't. It's the temple. I warned you about this…"

Xel slowly turned his eyes to the imposing building, its entrance still wreathed in shadow to his eyes. His head, and entire body, shook violently as his lightsaber hissed off and he retreated into himself, his brother's pleading voice trying to bring him back but failing as his eyes rolled up into his head.

Darkness claimed him a moment later.

…

Present

Balosar

_Well,_ Xel thought with a groan as he pushed his armored body off the ground, _that could've been worse._

An explosion rocked the hangar as what was left of the demolished speeder erupted in flames. Xel winced.

_Though not by much._

Glancing around, his blue eyes alighted on Luke's prone body. He sighed, striding over to him and lifting him off the ground with one arm slung around his shoulders. He half-dragged Luke toward the entrance ramp of the _Kandosii'tal_, Tor there to greet them at the bottom with a smoking blaster rifle in his hands.

"Trouble?" Xel asked with a nod at the weapon.

Tor shrugged his mechanical shoulders. "Nothing I couldn't handle. These thugs have nothing on Imperial soldiers."

Xel snorted his agreement as they boarded the ship and retracted its ramp. He laid Luke into a passenger seat and motioned Tor to strap him in as he punched the ignition of his ship and performed a cursory pre-flight check.

_All systems nominal. Ready to fly—_

He glanced back at Luke and frowned.

_—with one small problem._

The Mando stood up and loomed over Luke, frowning behind his helmet, then sighing as he brought his hand up. A resounding smack reverberated through the cabin as Luke jolted awake with a yell. Putting a palm to his reddening cheek, the pilot glared up at Xel.

"Need you to call your droid, tell it to get your ship moving."

Luke frowned and unstrapped himself. "You could've just shaken me awake."

Xel just shrugged and grinned behind his helmet. Tor shook his head in exasperation as his captain seated himself in the pilot's seat. An in-depth weapons check was performed as Luke relayed instructions to Artoo, the tone he spoke in much like the one Xel used with Tor. Once the rebel powered off his comlink, Xel looked back at him and nodded toward a seat.

"Strap in. This is gonna be even rougher than your landing."

Luke gave Xel an alarmed look as the Mando laid his helmet on the dash and gunned the sublight engines, a twin burst from the ship's heavy cannons blasting the hangar doors open. A loud whoop came from Xel's throat as they shot out of the spaceport, the pilot grinning the whole time as the _Kandosii'tal_ spun through the air, orange turbolaser fire following them out. Luke glanced over Tor's shoulder to see the sensor readings for their immediate surroundings.

"They're scrambling pursuit ships," Luke said with a note of alarm in his voice.

"How many?" Xel asked, too preoccupied with spotting one in particular to pay much attention to the sensors.

"Four," Tor answered. "Make that six."

"Make?" the Mando asked.

"Couple standard planetary defense fighters," Luke answered. "Sienar make, I'd wager. One Weequay pirate vessel, and at least two Skipray Blastboats."

Xel whistled through his teeth. "_Shab_, Ace, they must want you bad." He glanced over to his starboard scopes, a smile twitching at his lips. "Is your droid ready?"

"For what?"

"I'm gonna dock with the X-Wing, anchor it to the bottom of the ship with magnetic clamps, then jump outta here."

Luke shrugged. "Good enough plan, except for the fact that those fighters are closing in fast."

Xel smirked confidently as he approached the rebel fighter. "Trust me, I got this."

The Mando carefully angled the _Kandosii'tal_ toward the X-Wing, lining up the clamps with the ship's stern as the blue R2-D2 ejected from its mount and magnetically adhered to the canopy of the fighter. Xel opened a side hatch of his ship as he engaged the clamps, the droid using its side-mounted jets to hover and fly into the airlock. A massive clang resounded throughout the ship as the X-Wing was roughly but firmly anchored to the Kuat Striker.

"_Kandosii_!" Xel cheered with an arm-pump, his mirth vanishing as the ship shuddered with the impact of turbolaser blasts. "Hang on!"

And they did, the panicked beeps of the newly arrived Artoo sounding throughout the ship's halls as the _Kandosii'tal_ accelerated to blockade-running speed, its overclocked engines firing at full throttle and taking them out of Balosar's polluted atmosphere in seconds. The enemy fighters followed in hot pursuit, two of the Sienar defense ships splitting off to perform a pincer attack on the Mandalorian vessel. Snarling slightly, Xel pulled the ship into a spinning turn that dodged the worst of their full salvo, but took a direct hit to one of the ship's exposed power junctions. A warning light flashed on the pilot's dashboard. Xel's eyes widened slightly.

"Uh-oh."

Luke glanced toward him in alarm. "What's uh-oh?"

Xel's teeth gritted. "That junction was involved in linking the hyperdrive to the nav computer's higher functions. Without precise synchronization, our course could be off by as many as twelve degrees."

Luke's eyes widened comically. "Oh stang, that's bad."

"You bet," Xel growled as his hands flew across the controls. "I need to get into the back and find a way to reroute the power, or we're going nowhere."

"No need," Luke said dismissively. "Artoo, see what you can do."

The droid beeped reassuringly as it threw power into its side wheels, speeding down the halls of the ship and arriving in the rear in seconds. Meanwhile, the cockpit was a tense bundle of nerves as Xel continued to dodge attack after attack while trying to get one of the fighters into his sights.

"Doesn't this thing have any weapons?"

Xel and Tor both threw Luke an offended look.

"It's a Mandalorian vessel, _di'kut_," Xel answered. "But with the overclocked engines and increased maneuverability on this thing, it handles more like a heavy fighter than a transport."

"Translation," Tor continued, "all the cannons face forward only."

"Yeah," Xel confirmed. "Only one that breaks that mold is on the bottom, but that's for anti-infantry defense, not space combat."

Luke positively lit up. "Where are the controls for it?"

Xel glanced back at him confusedly as the Blastboats and Weequay ship approached. "Right behind your seat, but they're automated for a reason. The manual controls handle like a drunken Dewback."

Luke chuckled as he settled behind the stick. "Just like the _Falcon's_ turrets."

Tor and Xel exchanged a look, the latter shrugging as he resumed evasive maneuvers. If Luke wanted to feel helpful, he wasn't gonna object. Stars only knew how horrible it was to feel helpless in space. The _Kandosii'tal _spiraled around another burst ofincoming fire, its cannons warming as his targeting computers locked onto the Weequay ship. The main guns opened fire a moment later, red plasma splashing against the pirate vessel for a moment before the rotary cannon tore a two-meter hole in its hull. Shadowed bodies flew from the gap as Xel flew past, his ship twirling around the less maneuverable vessels with practiced ease.

A red warning light flashed on his dashboard as one of the Blastboats launched an Arakyd concussion missile, the projectile hot on the _Kandosii'tal_'s ion trail. Xel cursed under his breath as he twisted away from the missile right into incoming laser fire. His shields flared and sparked as they absorbed the impacts, but his displays were screaming alarms at him from all over. A growl came from the Mando's throat.

_Ion cannons. Perfect._

"Tor, target that Blastboat's hardpoints. And spin up our chaff countermeasures."

"No need," came Luke's voice from the back.

Several loud, rapid _bdapps_ came from the ventral blaster cannon, several lances of red plasma shooting through the void. Two impacted the incoming warhead, causing it to detonate early and shaking the _Kandosii'tal_, but otherwise doing no damage.

Xel grinned. "Nice!"

Luke laughed as the Mando pilot swerved toward one of the Blastboats, his rotary cannon chewing a gap into its shields right before Tor fired off two concussion missiles. The impacts cracked the slightly larger ship in half as the fighters bombarded the _Kandosii'tal_'s port shields with rapid fire. The particle shields on that side buckled, two score-marks finding their place on the ship's hull.

"Oi!" Xel yelled. "I just renovated this thing. Do you mind?"

Without waiting for an answer, he cut the engines and triggered a massive burst from the starboard docking jets, jolting the ship and sending it strafing to the left as a fighter flew past, guns blazing. Its left wing scraped past the right side of Xel's ship as he locked onto its smaller form and opened fire. The rotary cannon made short work of its weak shields and vaporized it a split-second later. Meanwhile, another missile warning flashed on his dashboard, and Xel glanced back at the Jedi.

"I got it," Luke said before Xel even spoke.

The ventral cannon fired once more, detonating the missile and sending a wave of concussive force splashing against the last Blastboat's shields. Xel's teeth clenched as the last fighter returned and bombarded his unshielded side, chewing large gashes in the hull.

"Sir," Tor said suddenly, "new enemy contacts coming from Balosar."

Xel's stomach dropped. "You're kidding me. Artoo, how's that reroute going?"

The droid sent an angry bleep to the cockpit, the volume alone causing Xel to wince.

"Artoo!" Luke shouted incredulously. "Language!"

A low, apologetic _dwoo_ came over comms, causing Xel to shake his head.

_Thing must not have gotten a memory wipe for _decades_._

Xel punched the throttle as the fighter came in for another strike, the ship's afterburners taking him out of its range as he tried to outmaneuver it. Unfortunately, the fighter pilot was no slouch, and Xel wondered suddenly how such an incredible pilot had made his or her way to a backwater dump like Balosar. A shudder passed through the ship as the fighter fired on his engines, the deflector shields taking it but dropping a considerable amount.

"Caden," Luke called, "keep the ship steady for a second."

Xel looked back at him in alarm. "Are you _kidding_?"

"Please, just trust me."

The Mando stared as the older man closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, his hands going loose around the firing controls. His grip solidified a moment later, pivoting slightly sideways and firing three bolts in rapid succession. A split-second after he fired, a resounding explosion came from the ship's auditory simulators, causing Xel to look back and see the Skipray Blastboat sagging, dead in space. The Mando exchanged a look with his droid copilot, then glanced back at Luke.

"Did you just—"

"Shoot their missile as it was coming out of the bay?" Luke grinned. "Yep."

Xel opened his mouth to congratulate him when turbolaser fire from the fighter slammed into his ship once more. He growled. "_Di'kut_…you are _really_ starting to piss me off."

A loud, drawn-out beep came from the rear, causing Luke to light up like Imperial City on Empire Day.

"You did?" He looked to Xel. "Artoo fixed the hyperdrive. Punch it!"

Xel angled the ship toward his preprogrammed route and slammed the lever forward. The engines whirred to maximum power as the course laid in and stars stretched to streaks of light, the _Kandosii'tal_ rocketing off into the deep blue of hyperspace.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

1 month ABY

_"Is he any better?"_

Xel's half-unconscious body twitched at the soft voice that drifted through his mind.

_ "Hard to tell some days. He's been in and out of consciousness since he came out, but I don't think he'll remember any of it."_

A feminine sigh. _"I still don't believe it. Nobody's responded to the temple's power as badly as he did. Not since…"_

_ "Not since Clyde, I know."_

_ "And even then…"_

_ "Yeah, he told me."_

Silence passed for a few moments before the female spoke up again. _"I don't know, Alen. Maybe we shouldn't have pushed him so hard so soon."_

_ "He needs to confront his fears."_

_ "Yeah, but what happened…that wasn't a confrontation. That was a beatdown. The temple used Xel like a neglected punching bag and tossed him out like a ragdoll."_

A sigh. _"I know, Kae…I know. I made a mistake, not warning him about everything."_

_ "Maybe…but all we can do now is wait for him to wake up…and hope he's willing to try again."_

_ "Right. Between you and me…when he first came here, I nearly cried on the spot. Not just because I hadn't seen him in weeks…but because of what I felt in the Force. It was like…an absence. Not a black hole, but a void. A wound in the Force."_

_ "How is that possible?"_

_ "It's like Master Li-am said when he spoke about General Surik and Malachor. To avoid the agony of all that death, Xel severed his connection to the Force when we fled Hypori. That kind of radical action leaves a mark. If he's to have any hope of restoring that connection, he needs to face what he's done and lost…and learn to let go."_

Dark blue eyes snapped open as the last words drifted through his consciousness, a quiet breath leaving his lungs as he kept still. Slowly, his head turned to the side to see the closed flap of the medical tent, two silhouettes speaking in quiet voices just outside.

"Anyway," Kael said, "I'm gonna get some rest, okay?"

"Sure. I'll look after him."

Moments later, one silhouette disappeared and Alen stepped through the flap, his eyes meeting Xel's instantly.

The Jedi looked him over warily. "You're awake?"

Xel nodded slowly, his entire body stiff with disuse. He coughed twice and gulped to clear his scratchy throat. "How long?"

Alen handed him a cup with ice chips. "Just over a week."

Xel paled and let his jaw drop halfway, taking the cup and popping a few chips into his mouth as he looked down. After crunching on a few, he cleared his throat. "What's the damage?"

Alen shrugged and seated himself. "All healed, as of several days ago. It wasn't that bad to begin with, although that hairline fracture on your right forearm was a little troubling."

The Mando looked up at him with confused eyes. "What are you talking about? My injuries—"

"Weren't that severe. Just a couple of bumps and bruises is all."

Xel blinked rapidly, shaking his head. "No…no, I was…I was cut. Multiple times." He looked up at his brother. "With a lightsaber."

Alen's features shifted in realization. "Oh…Xel…listen." He sighed hard, rubbing his eyes. "Whatever you saw in there…whatever you experienced? It was all in your mind."

The younger twin blinked slowly. "That's impossible."

Alen arched an eyebrow. "Is it? You once told me that when you touched the Darksaber back on Voss, you were transported into a world of shadows and smoke. Was _that_ impossible?"

Xel's lips pursed as he looked away, a haunted look over his face.

"Xel," Alen said softly, taking his empty hand. "I'm sorry. I sent you in there—"

"Without telling me everything, I know." Xel looked up at him and nodded toward the doorway. "I was listening."

Alen's lips pressed together. "Then you know what you have to do."

The Mando looked off to the side, eyes filling with tears. "I can't."

"You can."

"I _shouldn't_."

"You _must_. Part of grieving is learning to let go…and you have to. You'll never forget the people you lost, but all the pain, all the agony that you put yourself through trying to take the blame for what's happened…it's killing you. What's more, all of it is _needless_."

Xel looked back to him.

Alen smiled sadly. "I know that I blamed you for what happened at Hypori. And yes, while in many ways, your actions are what triggered that massacre…Darth Vader is the one who planned it." He gripped Xel's hand tightly. "And the Empire executed it. You didn't pilot those fighters, fire those guns. It isn't your fault they're dead…just your responsibility. But responsibility cannot coexist with blame, and you have blamed yourself for _so_ much over the years. Too much."

The younger boy looked away, chest tightening painfully.

"En…Linn…Ijul—they gave their lives for the Rebellion willingly, without regret. Telia, and Xander?" He turned Xel's head back toward him. "They gave their lives for you—for _us_—willingly, without regret. They…_gave_. They weren't taken." Alen's eyes welled up as his voice faltered. "Because there is no death among heroes. Only sacrifice." Alen reached to a side table and placed something in Xel's hand. "Our duty…is to honor that sacrifice…by _living_. By carrying on their legacy. The lives they'll never experience? We'll live them in their stead, on our terms, the way they would've wanted."

Alen placed his hands on Xel's shoulders. "And we are never, _ever_ going to give up."

Xel slowly looked from Telia's saber to his older brother's intense eyes.

"You understand?"

Xel gulped hard as he glanced down at the saber, grip tightening around it. "_Elek_,_ ner vod._"

Alen grinned. "Good." He patted Xel's shoulders one more time before getting up and seating himself again.

As the Mando looked to his right, he did a double-take before identifying the dark mop of hair splayed over the table on his right. "Is that—"

Alen chuckled softly. "I called her as soon as you went comatose. She was there in less than a day. Didn't even ask how she pulled _that_ off." His head shook slowly. "Barely left your side since."

Xel reached out gingerly and stroked Maila's hair, a warm smile coming to his face, the likes of which no one had seen for nearly a month. He sat up, working out his stiff muscles, and planted a gentle kiss on the crown of her head before lying back down and turning his body to face her. Alen didn't say a word, just patted Xel on the arm and left, leaving the couple to sleep peacefully 'til morning.

…

Present

The Kandosii'tal, hyperspace

"Well that was _entirely_ too close."

Luke could only breathe out heavily and nod in agreement. The pair exchanged a brief look before erupting into laughter.

"Nice shooting, Ace," Xel said as he pried himself from the controls.

Luke shook his hand and nodded. "Always happy to lend a hand."

Xel glanced at the nav computer. "I just triggered an emergency jump to make sure we got away all right, but where are you headed?"

Luke shrugged. "Ah, that's okay. I can handle it once I'm back in my ship."

Xel grimaced. "Well…unless you've got a fully air-sealed flight suit I don't know about, you're not getting back into that thing until we dock somewhere, and while we're out here, might as well…"

The pilot pursed his lips for a few moments, eyes half-lidding before opening fully. "The Hoth system. We have a base there."

The Mando nodded and pulled back the hyperdrive release, bringing them back into realspace as Tor programmed in the jump. "So…you've met my brother a couple of times, right?"

Luke nodded.

"What'd you think of him?"

The pilot arched an eyebrow. "As a person or a Jedi?"

Xel crossed his arms thoughtfully. "The two aren't mutually exclusive. Emotions, feelings…they're nothing to be afraid of if you understand them. And how they affect you." He winced. "Piece of advice: wear your heart on your sleeve, admit your feelings, at least to yourself. Can get into big trouble otherwise."

Luke frowned. "You're speaking from experience." It wasn't a question.

Xel nodded. "Hypori. It's why that happened."

Luke nodded slowly, paling slightly.

"And Ace—if you ever go up against Vader…just be clear on your reasons for fighting him." He looked down, pain filling his eyes. "When I did…I thought I was doing it to avenge my parents and friends…but I was lying to myself." He looked back up at Luke, who had a similarly pained expression on his own face. "I did it for me. I did it because—believe it or not—it was easier than facing up to the truth, to facing my pain. So I buried that pain in anger, later in guilt, and it nearly _consumed_ me."

Luke stared at him.

"Don't make my mistakes. You'll save yourself a lot of pain and heartache. All I'm saying." Xel turned about and sat down again, eyes scanning over the instruments.

"Any other lessons?" Luke's tone was serious.

Xel froze, turning his head to face the older man. "Are you…"

"Asking you to train me?" Luke shrugged. "Like I said, any Jedi who can is already dead or as inexperienced as I am. So, I take what I've got."

The Mando's eyebrows hiked upward and he nodded slowly. "All right. Well…first thing I have to tell you—and listen up, because this is the most important—there are no rules."

Luke nodded.

"There is no honor among the Sith or the Empire, and so you have to adjust accordingly. Now, don't mistake my words. There is a way to conduct yourself honorably against a dishonorable opponent, and from what I've heard, you're already doing that, but you _cannot_ expect them to follow your example because, as I've said—"

"There are no rules," Luke interrupted.

"Exactly."

The pilot nodded to him. "And the second thing?"

Xel brandished his lightsaber as Luke did the same. "Forget what your master told you about the role of a Jedi."

Luke tensed up.

"You're not a peacekeeper, you're a soldier. And you need to fight and act like one."

They paced around each other as two sapphire blades ignited.

"The peace has already been broken. It's your job to make sure that when it returns, the right people come out on top. That is what a soldier is."

Two rapid, light strikes were exchanged as they tested each other.

"Any idiot with a gun can kill people. A _true_ soldier knows not only when to take a life, but—more importantly—when to spare one."

Xel spun his body and blade in a spiral as their sabers collided several times, sending golden flashes through the cabin. After Luke withdrew from an incoming stab and sidestepped to Xel's right, the Mando spun counterclockwise and locked their blades.

"And one day, you'll be more than a soldier. You'll be a soldier perfected."

With a groan of effort, Luke pushed Xel's blade up and off, sending him backpedaling across the bridge as the Jedi went on a counterattack.

"Because then you'll be a _Knight_."

Luke lunged for him, hitting empty air as Xel pivoted away and lightly smacked the side of his head with his pommel. The Jedi stumbled and rolled away, deactivating his lightsaber and reactivating it as he regained his footing. Xel's lightsaber was held one-handedly at his side, hanging horizontally in front of him in his grip.

"And that, Luke Skywalker, is a role far greater than peacekeeper or soldier, a role that never loses its place, no matter the context."

The blue-eyed Jedi observed him, sweating and breathing heavily. "And what's that?"

Xel smiled and looked briefly to his left pauldron. "A guardian." He looked back to Luke. "But you can learn about the nuances of _that_ post from someone with a bit more…" his head tilted slightly, a smirk on his lips, "tact." His expression sharpened. "For now, let me help you stay alive."

Luke nodded and tightened his grip around his saber, the pair charging at each other as their duel resumed.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

1 month ABY

A sudden but light and welcome weight laid itself on Xel's left shoulder as he smiled in response, leaning toward it and laying his head on another as they both watched Athiss' spectacular sunrise. His eyes closed for a moment as he brushed his cheek against her hair. A warm contact occurred at his neck, and he leaned into it with a small sigh. He looked down and left to have a pair of painfully affectionate blue eyes meet his. His heart ached pleasantly as she smiled up at him, their lips meeting gently before intensifying as he leaned over her.

Her hands placed onto his chest, their lips parting as their foreheads made contact. A shuddering breath left his lungs as they gazed at each other for a while.

"_Shab_…I've missed you."

Maila smiled just a little, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I know." She tapped her temple. "I'm in your head too, remember?"

He chuckled lightly. "Lucky me." His arms tightened around her smaller body. "Really."

She laughed. "Babe, you don't know the half of it." The girl grinned up at him. "You have any idea how many other conquests I had lined up?"

Xel arched an eyebrow. "Oh, so I'm a 'conquest,' huh?"

Maila smirked teasingly. "You don't seem to mind."

His face was buried in her neck. "Considering you're probably the best thing to happen to me, I probably wouldn't mind being fitted with a shock collar and made into your slave."

She arched an eyebrow and smiled mischievously. "Is that an invitation?"

He snorted a laugh and grinned. "Down, girl." His lips pressed against her neck. "Nobody orders me around but me."

Her smile disappeared as her grip tightened around his neck. "That almost stopped. Permanently."

He sighed. "I know."

She released and observed him with a critical eye.

"And I am _never_ letting things go that far again."

Maila's lips parted slightly. "Maybe that's your problem."

Xel looked up at her. "Huh?"

Her lips pursed. "You've finally just started grieving…but you're still blaming yourself for everyone you've lost." She palmed his cheek. "But you weren't the one who dealt the killing blow, to any of them."

He snorted. "You sound like Alen."

She shrugged. "Well…he's right."

Xel's eyes rolled. "I know. Intellectually, I know. But letting go…isn't my strong suit. _Munit tome'tayl, skotah iisa_."

Her head shook. "Letting go doesn't require you to forget, and it can't erase the pain. Nothing can." She cupped his face in her hands. "But it does mean that you don't live in the past, that you don't _live_ in the pain. Remember, experience that bitterness, and then move on. Enjoy the sweetness of life." She smiled. "What was it Teras said? _Aay'han bal shereshoy_." A light kiss was placed on his forehead. "Don't have one to the exclusion of the other. Please." She frowned. "Do it for me."

Xel stared up into her blue eyes, so filled with warmth and concern and a feeling he feared to name.

Haar'chak_,_ he cursed mentally, without heat, as her gaze completely melted his armor.

Xel held her close and laid his head on her shoulder. "For you, _mesh'la_…I'll do my best."

"Good," she replied quietly, holding his head and stroking his hair as she looked to the sunrise. "Stars…look, Xel."

"Hm?" he grunted drowsily, arching an eyebrow.

His eyes turned to the explosion of light on the horizon, hues of purple and blue and red as far as the eye could see. "_Shab_," he said quietly. He held the woman at his side more tightly, laying his head on her shoulder as they sat in silence and just enjoyed the moment.

…

Present

Echo Base, Hoth

"Try it now!"

A shower of sparks erupted from a YT-1300 light freighter on the far side of the hangar allotted for the _Kandosii'tal_'s landing. Luke winced as a man with a Corellian Bloodstripe on his pant leg screamed at an equally upset Wookiee to shut whatever had gone wrong down.

Xel just crossed his arms and stared at the ship with a critical eye. "So…_this_ is the famed _Millennium Falcon_?"

Luke chuckled softly. "I know it doesn't look like much, but this thing's the fastest ship in the galaxy." He winced as a small explosion erupted from the ship's engine manifold. "When it works."

Xel's head shook slowly as he sighed and turned away, waving dismissively. He looked toward Luke's X-Wing, docked next to his own ship, and the crates being moved by rebel technicians and R2-D2.

"So what's the plan with the holocrons?"

Luke turned to him and shrugged. "I guess…I'll just have to figure it out. Learn what I can and practice as hard as possible."

"Word of advice—"

"Another one?" Luke interrupted with an amused smirk.

Xel snorted a laugh. "Train _harder_ than possible. If you limit yourself to what you know you can do, then you'll never be more than you are. Trust me, push the limits of possibility, and word 'impossible' disappears from your vocabulary."

Luke blinked slowly, then nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

The Mando smiled and shook his hand. "Commander Skywalker, it's been a pleasure."

The Jedi smiled back. "Likewise, Mr. Caden."

He winced. "Ugh, _please_, for _shab's_ sake, don't ever call me that again. You're makin' me feel old, and I'm a good two years younger than you."

Luke laughed outright. "As you wish. Safe travels, hunter…and whatever you were looking for on Balosar, I hope you found it."

Xel's expression changed subtly, a malevolent glint entering his dark eyes as his voice deepened to match. "Oh, trust me—" he flipped a data chip from a pouch at his side, holding it up to the light, "—I did."

Luke eyed him warily. "Something tells me this isn't gonna be good for whoever owns that chip."

"No," Xel answered quietly but menacingly. He took a breath, then flipped the chip back into his pocket. "But that's not _your_ problem." He smirked. "Worst thing you'll have to worry about out here is the cold." He chuckled. "Don't think even the _Empire_ will want to bother with this dump."

Luke smirked and crossed his arms. "Why do you think we chose it?" His expression sobered a bit. "Safe travels, Xel."

"Thanks. Good luck with your revolution." Xel smirked. "You're gonna need it."

Luke smiled. "I don't need luck. I have the Force."

The Mando huffed and rolled his eyes as he walked away, followed by Luke's laughter.

"May the Force be with you," the Jedi called.

Xel paused on the gangplank of his vessel and looked back toward him. "And you."

…

The son of Anakin Skywalker watched his Mandalorian comrade leave with a pensive expression on his face. The stories and legends didn't do him credit, for one side painted him as an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction, and the other as a psychopathic killer with no regard for the safety of his comrades—or himself, for that matter. From one day alone, Luke realized that every legend had a story of their own, deeper than all the battles and glory, more complex than the awe and mystique that surrounded them. He briefly wondered if, one day, the same might be said of him.

A smirk rose to his features as he shook his head.

_Be a soldier now,_ he thought, looking toward the _Falcon_ as another explosion was punctuated by Han's yells. _Legend tomorrow._

"Commander Skywalker, Captain Solo!"

They both turned toward the source of the voice, one of the soldiers in charge of running the perimeter guard.

"Two of our patrols are in the med bay with severe frostbite. Princess Leia was wondering if you'd be willing to fill in for them."

Luke straightened and nodded firmly. "I'm in."

Han rolled his eyes at the younger man's enthusiasm, then huffed and groaned. "Might as well. _Falcon's_ not goin' anywhere in this state." He leaned over the cockpit. "Chewie, make sure you replace that busted converter, or we won't even be able to get the Dejarik board working."

An acknowledging roar answered him as Han leapt from an access ladder to get warmer attire. Luke just smiled and shook his head, letting out a long breath and heading for his own quarters.

_Always an adventure._

He wouldn't have had it any other way.

…

The Kandosii'tal

"Alen here."

Xel pursed his lips. "I found a connection on Balosar."

"Gossed? You know where she is?"

His head shook. "No, but I have a lead on how we may be able to track her." He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. "Bit of a long shot, really, but I've got a feeling."

Alen pointed at him sharply. "I will _take_ that feeling. She's been allowed to get away with murder for far too long."

"Agreed."

The Jedi observed his brother silently for a few moments. "What's with that look?"

Xel shook his head. "I'm fine. Just…remembering a few things." He looked up at Alen. "And reminding myself to do this the right way."

Alen smiled. "Good man. We'll catch her, Xel. She can run, but she can't hide forever. It's just a matter of time."

Xel nodded firmly. "And when we find her…stars help whoever gets in our way."

"Damn straight. And Xel, let me know where I can help. Remember, this is my fight too."

Xel smiled and nodded. "I know. I'll keep you posted."

"Alen out."

The Mando breathed out hard and settled into the pilot's seat, Ne'tra Tor on his right and plotting a course out of the Hoth system.

"I'm going with you on the next excursion," the droid said flatly, leaving no room for debate.

Xel smirked. "Took the words right out of my mouth."

"Course set," Tor said a moment later.

Xel reached for the hyperdrive controls, pausing for a moment as he felt something tug at his consciousness. He frowned and looked back at the icy globe of Hoth, staring at it for a while, then shaking his head and looking back into the black of space.

"Let's go."

Xel punched the hyperdrive into action, and together they shot off into the endless void.

* * *

AN: Thus ends the Skywalker chapters. I hope you enjoyed the little nods and references riddled throughout this chapter. For me, it's always both awesome and nerve-racking to write for these original characters, mostly because they're so legendary and beloved that I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. If not for the sake of my readers, then for myself, because as I've said numerous times, _Star Wars_ is one universe that I do not want to screw up, and there is no greater opportunity to do that than with such major characters.

That said, throughout this season, I'm going to be addressing some other _highly_ beloved characters from the poll on my author page. You guys spoke, and I listened, so at the very least I'm gonna do my best to incorporate the top five, either in the present or flashbacks.

Next chapter, we'll be heading to the gladiatorial world of Rattatak, while the younger Xel returns to the temple on Athiss to face his demons once more.

Please review at your leisure and pass the word on.

_Oya, vode._

\- CDrake


	45. Decisions

6 months later

Rattatak

3 years, 7 months ABY

The Cauldron.

Not a nice place for anyone who had any kind of moral scruples or weakness. For the enterprising criminal, however, this arena was a haven for illegal betting and death matches of all species. The native Rattataki owned the place. The patrons bankrolled it. The fighters made everyone rich. Everyone, that is, except the poor slave _chakaare_ that were thrown in as cannon fodder. This, of course, is how Xel came to be involved with this particular cesspit. A former Chandrilan Imperial senator had paid him a ludicrous sum of money up front to perform the equally ludicrous task of springing an entire shipment of these slaves from custody.

This particular group was made up of illegally incarcerated Imperial citizens and even a few rebel soldiers. The rebels would last the longest, he was sure, but the gladiators they prized here were hardened killers, psychopaths with no regard for the lives of themselves or others. They would maim, kill, torture, and cripple to get their pay, and as such, Xel had to be willing to do the same. In the six months since he'd gotten that intel off Balosar, he'd been tracking down and dismantling Gossed's illicit operations across the galaxy with great success.

He was hurting her organization badly enough that she'd already sent several bounty hunters after him. He'd consistently returned them to her, either with their tails between their legs or in body bags. The most recent attempt had been a band of freelancers, so obviously amateurs that he took pity on them and simply threatened them with his ship. They'd beaten a hasty retreat as soon as they'd seen all the concealed weapons on the _Kandosii'tal_ warm up. The memory still brought a smile to his face.

At the moment, however, he was anything but happy. Thus far, every attempt to get inside the slave pens had been met with obstacle after obstacle, from the laser gates and ray shields to round-the-clock rotating guard shifts. In short, the Cauldron was a _shabla_ deathtrap for any potential trespassers. The only way to access the slave pens, he'd decided, was to infiltrate the staff of the arena somehow, and that meant cozying up to slavers, pirates, and the rest of the galaxy's scum. After the first hour, he decided he _despised_ undercover work.

_Next time I do this, I'm calling in a favor from Clyde. He's _so_ much better at this sweet-talking _osik_._

That wasn't to say that Xel was worse at it, but Clydian Diserius Dansen was a _ridiculously_ talented actor—and possessed of a lead stomach. If anyone could manage rubbing elbows with these _chakaare_ without flinching, it'd be him. Nevertheless, he hadn't gone in without backup. Ever since that business on Balosar, Ne'tra Tor had insisted on accompanying Xel in the field on virtually every mission he'd conducted. At present, the droid was disguised in a frame stolen from an automated perimeter guard, an attempt at planting an inside "man" within the slave pens.

It had been tight, efficient work to get the two droids switched. The moment the guard had gone offline, Xel had had to disconnect armor and its transponder to prevent location long enough to reinstall both on Tor's body and reconfigure his vocabulator to fit the guard's. A few programs from Alen were enough to handle the vocabulator and integration of the transponder, but the armor had been another matter entirely. When Xel was forced to rebuild his droid friend, he'd scrapped all his earlier designs and started with the basics, almost like designing an artificial human body.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

2 months ABY

A welding visor flashed and lit up with the sparks of an ignited plasma torch, the bubbling of melted metal sending up streams of heated smoke filtered out by the mask. The torch powered off after another moment or two, the mask lifted off an oil-stained face with two narrowed blue eyes peeking out. A frown came to the face of the boy who owned them, his face screwing up in dissatisfaction as his head shook and he tossed a pile of metal parts into an overfilled waste bin with a growl.

"Ouch. That bad?"

Xel snorted and groaned as he slumped into a nearby chair, tossing his welding gloves into a pile of heavily used equipment. "Worse. I can't decide how to start. If I know exactly what I'm designing, this'll be boring, and if I just go at it haphazardly, I'll output shoddy work."

Kael propped her chin up on her hand, one foot planted on a chair as she stared at the incomplete parts he'd manufactured and discarded thus far, noticing the one thing they all had in common. "You know…I think I see your problem."

He tilted his head backward to look at her upside-down. "Please, enlighten me."

She looked over at him with her startlingly golden eyes. "They're all finished."

He arched an eyebrow and turned in his seat to look at her. "Huh?"

Kael strode to the waste bin and picked up what looked like a shoulder servo. "You're trying to make the entire piece at once, trying to press out an entirely finished body, armor and everything."

Xel's brows furrowed as he stood up and walked up next to her. "So what do you suggest?"

She tapped her chin with both index fingers. "A skeleton. Something a lot more…modifiable. Something that can adapt to any situation. Now that you're not a soldier anymore, battle isn't the only thing you'll be involved with, right?"

Xel shrugged. "I suppose."

"Then make its body to mirror yours."

"His."

Kael arched an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"'His,' not 'its.'"

The girl gave him a look. "Didn't know it mattered so much to you."

Xel frowned and looked over in the direction of the academy's hangar. "Peetee Thirty-Seven is Mandalorian, and although 'it' is a proper term for a droid, this droid is no mere automaton. He's a brother."

Kael frowned a little. "Strange," she said softly.

He looked up at her. "What is?"

She looked over at him. "Alen is the only immediate family you have left, and yet…all this time, you've been rebuilding it."

Xel frowned. "I don't understand."

Her head shook slightly. "It's something Alen told me. _Aliit ori'shya tal'din_."

"Family is more than blood," he translated absently. "What of it?"

"You lost yours in war."

"Not all of it. I still have an uncle, back on Mandalore. And family friends. Doesn't matter that they're from other clans. I've known 'em all my life."

"So you're not alone, and yet you insist on bringing others into your clan."

"And?"

"I just find it a little strange. Maila, the rebels, and now this droid. From what little I heard about you from Alen, you're not exactly the most social of people."

"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate the value of crowds. And not just as an army. There's something…satisfying about walking into the warmth of a house filled with laughter. I can't describe to you how much I prefer extreme cold over extreme heat, but…" he sighed wistfully, "I'd be more than willing to make an exception if the halls of our Mandalore estate were filled with family." He smiled a little, staring at the ground, then looking back up to Kael. "For so long I've made destruction the sole focus of my life…too long." His head shook. "I don't want to be that kind of person anymore.

"What I want is to live a normal life—as normal as Mandos can have, anyway—and be able to come home and smile. Heat isn't my favorite state, but I'm trying to develop a taste for it, if you get my meaning."

Kael smiled sadly. "I do. More than you know."

Xel frowned and gave her a look, then turned back to the equipment, deciding to leave that alone for now. "So, what was your idea again?"

She blinked and glanced up at him briefly. "Make a body. The armor comes later." She smirked. "After all, you're always telling me that the armor doesn't make the man."

Xel smiled. "True." He outright grinned. "Oh…that's brilliant. Kae, if you'd be so kind, please find Alen and Pelem. I'm gonna need both of them for this bit."

She smiled and nodded, patting his shoulder. "You got it, Xel."

The Mando cracked his neck and knuckles as he picked up his equipment and got to work once more.

…

Present

Rattatak

_Well…that could've gone better._

A silver-and-blue-armored body slowly pushed itself upright from a pile of dirt and garbage, taking a look around his new surroundings. Once on his feet, Xel brushed his scuffed and smeared armor off, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the horrific smells that now pervaded his senses.

_Eh…it was a longshot anyway._

His original plan was to create a problem for the Cauldron's "hosts," then solve it, thereby earning his way into their good graces. Only one snag: since his sabotage had gone into full swing, Ze'tam Gossed had placed people inside her major investments as insurance against his meddling. One such agent had found, identified, and exposed him before he could enact his plan, robbing him of a golden opportunity to get the slaves out safely and quietly. As Xel took a good look around him, a long, drawn-out groan left his lips at the massively decreased weight on his frame.

Now missing his jetpack, comlink, and the vast majority of his weapons, Caden was far from a happy camper, especially since he was stuck in a dilapidated cell, probably awaiting execution. Depending on the method of execution, however, there were any number of ways he could spin this. His cover was blown, that was for sure, but he still had an inside man. Problem was, with his communications systems disabled, there was no way to contact Tor and let him in on the new plan…once he came up with one.

He marveled at the fact that he still possessed both his lightsabers, a small miracle, given how thoroughly they'd searched him. It seemed the electro-keyed locks on those hardcases combined with how they were bolted to his belt were enough to deter any particularly aggressive separation. Apart from killing him, there'd be no way to get them off his frame. Refocusing his attention and blocking out the stench as best he could, Xel observed his surroundings and identified at least three weak points in the structural integrity of his cell, as well as several security cameras located just outside its walls.

Taking a moment to concentrate, he managed to put himself in the periphery of one's vision while avoiding all the others and stretched out with the Force to turn each one a few degrees, creating a small but useful blind spot in their sight net. Whether his original plan worked or not, by keeping him alive, they'd actually helped his mission. Putting him in the slave pens only brought him closer to his objective. Now all he had to do was escape his cell and break the others free without setting off any more alarms.

No big deal.

That is, until two heavily armed Rattataki strode up to the entrance of his cell and entered with weapons leveled against him. He backed up against the far wall, hands in plain sight, as a third figure joined them, a tall, thickly built humanoid. With a mask, pointed ears, and reptilian eyes.

_Kaleesh,_ Xel thought with a wince. _Of _course_ one of them would be in charge of the Cauldron._

The species as a whole was known as aggressive, the most obvious and infamous example of which was the late General Grievous of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Cunning and warlike, the Kaleesh were feared and respected as warriors, even among a warrior civilization like the Mandalorians. This one, he sensed, was no one to be trifled with on the _best_ of days. Considering how badly Xel wanted to wretch, this wasn't one of those days.

"Greetings, Xel Caden," the Kaleesh said through the filters of his mask. "I am Restor var Ne'tas, known in this arena as 'Keeper.'"

Xel crossed his arms. "I know who you are, Keeper, and I'd like to know why I'm being held. As I thought I previously established, we had something of an understanding."

"So we did," the alien admitted as he clasped his hands behind his back and paced the cell. "And then an associate, someone I trust, pegged you as a false flag. Said you'd been causing trouble for an investor of mine."

"Whatever business I have with them is none of your concern."

The Kaleesh's eyes flashed at him. "It is when you bring your fight into _my_ house." He stopped pacing and turned to face Xel fully. "Now, my associate has insisted that I not take any chances, and kill you."

Xel's hands surreptitiously dipped to his belt, within inches of his hardcases.

Keeper's head cocked. "But then I wondered…who would be foolish enough to make an enemy of Ze'tam Gossed?" He approached Xel curiously. "What kinds of skills would such a man have to possess?"

The Mando's eyes narrowed in suspicion behind his helmet. "If you have a point, make it, and fast."

Keeper stared at him. "I understand self-preservation quite well." He paced again. "There are more than a few malcontents who would love to steal my arena out from under my fingers…but you—I sense you're not here for that. I personally have no quarrel with you. Were it not for the fact that your kind of trouble would cut into my profits, I would've released you immediately." He stopped pacing. "But it does, and as I've learned, outside interference is…undesirable."

Xel sighed and rolled his eyes. "Again, boring me. Get to the point."

"I'm a businessman, Xel Caden, and as such, I propose a trade. Your life…for your performance in the Cauldron."

The Mando snapped his eyes to Keeper. "You're kidding me?"

The Kaleesh shook his head. "Not in the slightest. You survive the arena, battle your way to the top, and you earn your freedom."

Xel crossed his arms again. "Seems a bit one-sided to me."

"Only if you value your life cheaply."

The Mando snorted. "Please. I've seen _slaves_ get better deals in this place than that. If I win, I want a prize."

"A counter-offer, then? I'm intrigued."

"A shipment of around twenty slaves from Imperial worlds arrived here less than a week ago. If I win, I want them freed."

The Kaleesh exchanged a look with his guards, then began chuckling. "I don't care who you are, or how fantastic your performance is. One fighter is not worth twenty slaves."

"Most of them are civilians, untrained and without the stomach for battle. They'll be slaughtered within seconds of being thrown in the arena, and just how much excitement do you think that'll bring to the crowd?"

"Enough. Many of our patrons love to indulge in one-sided slaughter."

Xel sighed. "And what about the fact that they're Imperial citizens?"

"If no-one's come looking for them yet, they won't now."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." Xel smirked. "You see, I put a contingency in place, should I be captured, killed, or otherwise detained for any extended period. If I fail to contact my man on the outside within twenty-four hours, he sends a message to the ISB, encoded and encrypted with security clearances that only Omega-level operatives and Imperial Moffs are given." He leaned in and mock-whispered. "I pinched them from a governor I assassinated some months ago." Xel straightened up. "The message will be garbled and mostly corrupted, but enough will be there to merit a full-scale invasion to extract whoever sent it.

"By the time they realize it was all a ruse, I will be gone, as will those slaves, and your arena will likely be little more than a smoking ruin. Exactly how many patrons do you think you'll have then, hm? When they realize you can no longer deliver without threat of Imperial sanction?"

For the first time in the conversation, the smug, superior glint in Restor's reptilian eyes faded away. "What do you want?"

"Already told you. I fight in your arena? I win? You give me those slaves, my freedom, and a free lane off this rock."

He could tell Keeper was snarling behind his mask even as he turned away, both four-clawed hands clenched into fists.

"Well?"

The arena master turned his head to face him, eyes blazing with rage. "You have your deal," he hissed. "But do not expect to survive."

Xel pulled off his helmet and endured the stench long enough to send a malevolent grin his way, outstretching his hand. "Better let your patrons know: they're about to see something that will likely never be seen here again."

Keeper snarled and gripped his hand firmly, then stormed out in a rage, his guard trailing behind him as they closed the gate of his cell.

Xel just chuckled and leaned back against one wall, crossing his arms and staring at the ceiling as he prepared himself.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

2 months, 2 weeks ABY

"Hey, what do you think?"

Alen strode over to the workshop table and frowned in concentration for a few moments before slowly nodding his head. "I think your hobby's worked out quite well."

Xel gave him a look. "It's more than a hobby, _vod_."

"I know," Alen chuckled, facing him. "But you gotta admit, it's focused you quite well. I've seen some noticeable changes in your behavior since getting started on this." He smiled. "I like it."

Xel smiled back a little, wiping his hands. "It's nice to be building something for a change, and…if it gives us more time together, I can't see the hurt in it."

Alen smiled and nodded, staring off absently into the distance when feminine laughter rang through the air. "You know…I really thought Maila and Kael would be at each other's throats by now."

Xel frowned and drew back a step. "For real?"

The Jedi shrugged. "It's just…Maila's always been so smug, suave…superior. Kael is…snarky, sassy, a little snippy sometimes, but mostly just…"

The Mando arched an eyebrow. "Nice?"

Alen snorted and grinned, nodding. "Yeah. Have to be, when you're a healer. Works best with a nurturing personality."

Xel shrugged. "I suppose. How are they really?"

The Jedi smiled. "Like Maila's the friend that girl's been waiting for all her life. They're almost inseparable at this point, and surprisingly enough, Clyde actually _likes_ her." He caught Xel's tense look. "Not _that_ like. He tolerates her, better than you, anyway."

Xel just sighed and slumped into a chair. "I still don't get his deal."

"Maybe you would if you'd actually, you know, talk to him."

His head shook. "Only languages that kid understands are glaring and violence."

Alen shrugged and waved his hands around. "Pot, meet kettle."

Xel shot him a glare, which quickly turned into a roll of the eyes and summary groan.

Alen just smirked and crossed his arms smugly. His smile slowly faded. "Though really…you should try and make peace with him."

"How? You know I've already tried talking. It doesn't work."

His head shook. "Because his ears are closed. Forget about liking; right now, he doesn't even respect you."

"And how the hell do I earn that respect?"

"For one, by talking with Master Fenrim."

"Which I can't do unless I go through that damn temple and beat its psychopathic security system. Why does this Fenrim insist on that point?"

Alen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Because it's not a security system, Xel. It's a test. The temple, as I understand, was designed to root out weakness in those who enter."

Xel's brows furrowed. "Still doesn't answer my question."

The Jedi's lips pursed. "Because living isn't for the weak."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "A strange opinion for a Jedi to adopt. After all, aren't you Knights all about defending the weak?"

"It's not that simple. Since coming here, I've learned that whatever strength in war a sentient possesses, or the lack thereof, every living being in the galaxy has something to contribute. The Jedi Code charges us with defending them not simply by nature of them being weak, but because having them deprived of life would deprive the whole of the galaxy of their unique gifts. This what separates us from the Sith; we appreciate the value and worth of _every_ species and individual, not just the ones we deem strongest."

Xel looked off to the side, a bit dumbstruck. "Huh." He frowned after a moment. "That still doesn't help me beat the temple."

Alen sighed in frustration, rubbing his forehead. "You don't get it, Xel. It's not about _beating _the temple. It's about understanding it. Whatever visions or situations it shows you, there is a lesson to be learned, and you'll never get through unless you learn it."

The Mando pursed his lips. "What do you think that is?"

Alen gave him a firm look. "Acceptance."

"Of?"

"Everything. Xel, for two _years_, you've lived in almost constant fear. No matter how much you tried to deny it or bury it in anger, I could always see and feel it, wherever we went. You're still afraid. Not of any one person or faction or even death…but of pain."

Xel stared at him blankly as he crouched in front of him, looking up at him earnestly.

"You've been running away from your feelings for so long, you don't know how to just experience them. The only way to move forward is acceptance, of your pain, of grief, of loss. You have to accept responsibility for what you've done and stop taking the _blame_ for the actions of another. There is a distinct difference that you've long since forgotten, and it's killing you."

The Mando looked off to the side, expression painfully neutral.

Alen cocked his head slightly. "But then…you already knew that, didn't you?" He shuffled a step closer to him. "You know _exactly _what happened that day, in the void over Hypori, don't you? You know what severed your connection to the Force."

He nodded stiffly. "_I_ did. I heard it in your thoughts some time ago, when you thought I was still comatose. Didn't even know _how_."

"Neither did Meetra Surik. Xel, your loss of connection created a wound in the Force, centered around you. You must've seen the effects by now, on Maila, on everyone around you. They're _drawn_ to you, like solid matter to a singularity, because they can instinctively _feel_ the void left in your wake and they want to fill it. You feel it too, have to live and wake up with it every day. And you _know_ you're the only one who can close it, but you don't."

"Because of shame," Xel explained. "Shame and guilt."

"And no matter how much they hurt you, you don't want to let them go, because you think it your duty to endure that agony."

"My penance," Xel corrected.

Alen rolled his eyes and promptly smacked his brother upside his head.

"Oi!" the younger boy complained.

"You know," Alen drawled, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration and pacing, "I've tried to be patient. Tried to give you space and time enough to get over whatever's keeping you down, but now I can see that you actually _like_ your self-pity. And it _sickens_ me. You want to be depressed for the rest of your life? A doormat? Fine." His arms crossed as he gave Xel a stern look. "But do it somewhere else, so you stop wasting the time of people who are actually trying to _do_ something with their lives."

Xel stared up at him dumbly, face twitching in self-disgust.

Alen sighed and crouched next to him. "As I understand it…you made your girl a promise. I suggest you keep it."

Another few moments passed before the Jedi exited the maintenance shed, leaving Xel alone on the ground. Silence enveloped the room for a long minute before laughter, loud, unrestrained, and hysterical, rang out.

"What the hell am I doing?" Xel asked no one as he kept laughing and dusted himself off. His palm smacked his forehead hard. "So simple…so easy…so _stop_ hesitating, _di'kut_." He marched outside the shed and looked toward the darkened steps of the temple, the fading sunset as its backdrop. His head turned back to the camp as a smile spread over his features. "Oi, guys! Keep the fires running and get dinner ready!"

"What?!" called a few confused voices.

He grinned and took a long breath as he pulled his synthleather jacket on and checked his sabers. "I'll be back."

…

Present

Rattatak

"You're up next, Mando!"

Xel sighed and nodded slowly as he was handed his weapons and equipment, two Rattataki guards shoving him through a doorway moments later.

_Rude,_ he thought absently, observing the massive semi-spherical arena he was now standing in.

A marvel of Rattataki engineering, the building's main floor was covered in coarse sand and gravel, the walls massive and sloping upward over twelve floors into a domed ceiling. The walls held large durasteel gates every thirty feet or so, with numerous viewing booths in every floor above the ground.

_No ray shields over the booths. Could be useful._

One booth in particular stood out, probably because it wasn't, strictly speaking, part of the structure. A large, skiff-like vehicle hovered near the very top of the dome, with transparisteel flooring and walls and powerful turbolaser cannons mounted on its sides and bottom. Inside were various expensively-dressed aliens and humans, obviously the highest-paying patrons, and a familiar masked figure, who strode up to a microphone moments after Xel's entrance. The roar of the crowd faded to a dull hum in moments.

"Ladies and gentlebeings! I, Restor var Ne'tas, Keeper of the Cauldron, have brought for your utmost enjoyment a rare treat! A new challenger has arisen, from the barren, wild slopes of Mandalore, to face death and glory in the arena!"

The crowd roared its approval as Xel played along and threw his fist in the air, turning in every direction.

"For one day, and one day only, you will witness a battle of supreme champions! Two of the greatest warriors to walk the face of the galaxy, fighting to the death!"

Xel snorted, inaudibly in the dull roar of this crowd.

"Our challenger and new arrival, the hunter Xel Caden!"

He held both hands up once again, pumping them with the roar of the crowd.

"Versus the reigning champion…"

A massive, ground-shaking drumroll reverberated throughout the arena as the crowd started pounding in their seats.

"…the heir of Mandalore, king of hunters, and the most dangerous man in the galaxy…"

Xel turned toward the newly opening gate, his eyes and jaw opening wide as a green-and-tan-clad figure strode from its insides, three Wookiee scalps hanging from his right shoulder and a Mandalorian shoulder cloak from his left.

_No…no-no-no, you've gotta be kidding me._

"Boba…Fett!"

…

3 years ago

Athiss

2 months, 2 weeks ABY

"Are you sure about this? Going in, in the dead of night?"

Xel smiled and shrugged. "You said whatever happens in there isn't real, right?"

Alen nodded warily.

"So what's the worst that could happen?"

"Xel," he said warningly, "your body may survive, but your mind—"

"My mind is a kriffing fortress. As long as I have breath, I'll keep fighting." He nodded to Alen. "Count on it."

The Jedi pursed his lips and nodded slowly, Kael, Pelem, Maila, and Ytris looking on in worry as Xel approached the temple's entrance once more. Taking a deep breath, the Mando exhaled slowly and waved his hand over the door, causing it to slide out of place with a rocky groan once more.

"Xel," called a voice from behind.

He turned halfway when a pair of warm lips locked onto his, and leaned into Maila's smaller form without complaint when she wrapped her arms around his neck. The woman broke away a few moments later, smiling up at him coyly.

"For luck," she said, patting his chest with one hand.

"And if luck fails," Alen said with a grin, "may the Force be with you."

They both backed away from him as he faced the entrance, trepidation creeping up on him by the step. Once through, he didn't look back, hearing the door slide shut behind him and taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes and sat cross-legged. He looked inside, instead of out into the darkness, and just breathed. An itch in the back of his head turned into a small tingle, like the touch of a first kiss or a breath of clean, crisp air. He took a long drag of it, letting it fill every inch of his senses as the passage of time became meaningless.

The corners of his lips turned upward bit by bit as he felt out the heady sensation with a newfound sense of glee. Familiarity tugged at the edges of his consciousness, but he pushed it away. This wasn't like before. The first time he'd touched the Force, his mind was already clouded by anger and thoughts of vengeance. Now, it was just him…and the Force. No third parties, no distractions, nothing to keep him from connecting to his birthright the way he always should have. He took another breath, the stale air of the tomb-like building smelling just a touch sweeter for his breakthrough.

The breath exited his lungs, and he felt the dust in the air scatter like startled Mynocks. Dark blue eyes snapped open with purpose as his legs and arms pushed his body upright. His fingers twitched toward his hanging sabers, though only to confirm they were still there. This was a battle of the mind and soul, not the body. Whatever he faced ahead would not require the use of his weapons to defeat. As he rounded another corner into the fire-lit hallway, he took another breath and prepared himself.

_Okay…I'm ready._

…

Present

Rattatak

One heavily armored and armed Mando stared at the other as they slowly marched into the center of the arena until they were almost faceplate to faceplate.

Xel licked his suddenly dry lips and chose his words carefully. "So…what are you in for?"

Silence.

"Certainly not the money. From what I hear, this isn't really your scene."

Fett's helmet tilted barely five degrees to one side as they sized each other up. "You're Xander Caden's boy," he said flatly, the filter of his helmet distorting his voice.

Xel blinked once, hard, before straightening up. "That's right."

Another couple of seconds passed. "Shame."

The younger man felt himself flung six feet across the arena when Fett slammed him with a shoulder charge. He recovered a moment later, rolling to his feet and dropping his right hand to his belt. Fett eyed him carefully, tapping the side of his helmet twice with his right hand while extending his last three fingers with his left. Xel's eyes narrowed behind his helmet as he slowly drew his _beskar_ knife in an underhanded grip, keeping it concealed behind his right thigh as they paced around each other.

Fett feinted for his left, but spun toward his right when Xel lunged for his position. He grabbed the younger man's wrist and charged past him, flipping him flat onto his side and kicking the knife from his hand. His right forearm pinned Xel to the ground by the throat as the younger Mando used all of his skills to dislodge him.

"Right thigh," Fett's distorted voice whispered to him. "Misfire toward the skiff."

Attempting to twist Fett's wrist, Xel dipped down to his right thigh with his left hand and found himself gripping the handle of a handheld concussion grenade launcher. Eyes widening, he yanked it from his holster and attempted to aim it at the other hunter, but Boba's firm grip clenched around his wrist painfully, forcing them to struggle over the weapon. Putting quite the effort into their scuffle, Xel managed to angle the launcher toward Restor's platform and pull the trigger once.

With a loud bang, a high-velocity grenade streaked from the weapon and impacted one side of the skiff, exploding beautifully and shattering a good portion of one transparisteel wall. Screams echoed from above as he and Fett continued to struggle, Xel managing to pop his hips hard to one side and shove his older opponent into the sand. Still gripping the launcher, he fired again, about six feet on Fett's left, knocking the hunter off his legs and into the air. With both of them in possession of their jetpacks, however, the fight then turned airborne as they streaked across the arena.

Fett swung a modified EE-3 carbine from his right shoulder and fired in repeated bursts as Xel kept just out of his firing arc, dropping the launcher and drawing his pistols. Red plasma crisscrossed the space between them as they exchanged fire and near-misses by the dozen. Xel tilted his left gauntlet sideways and flexed his index, firing off a wrist rocket whose tailfin clipped Fett's shoulder. It exploded neatly in one of the viewing booths, sending smoke and dust in all directions as Fett kept coming for him.

Xel twisted around a trio of shots and returned fire, missing Fett's helmet by a hair before feeling a massive impact slam into his chest. Glancing down, he saw a blackened spot on his chest about four inches in diameter. Shaking his head in confusion, he felt a warning from the Force moments before three plasma bolts smacked into his chest and helmet, completely throwing off his flight pattern and causing him to crash-land in the center of the arena. Xel pushed himself halfway upright with a groan, turning his head toward the incoming hunter just a split-second before Fett touched down with a haymaker to his helmet.

His head knocked about the inside of the _buy'ce_ as he planted chest-first on the ground, disoriented and aching. Not a moment of reprieve was to be had, as Fett came back with another double-tap to his chest once he rose to a crouch, then a kick to the same to plant him on his back. Another kick sent his helmet flying off, showing his split eyebrow and bruised cheekbone as the sights of the rifle were leveled at his head. Xel stared up at him, the glare of the floodlights at his back sending rays of light scattering about his green-armored frame.

Fett's finger tightened around the trigger briefly before his helmet's antenna angled slightly differently—toward the skiff. "You're no good to me dead," he ground out metallically.

Xel's eyes widened slightly as a smirk spread over his features. His body twisted in the blink of an eye as he kicked the barrel of Fett's rifle away mid-roll, sending his shot into the sand, then angling both his arms toward the other hunter and firing as soon as he saw him move. Two rockets streaked toward the skiff command center, exploding beautifully and destroying a good portion of its walls and mounted turbolasers. Shouts and screams echoed throughout the arena as patrons and guards alike started moving, the infuriated yells of Restor spurring the staff into motion.

Fett extended his left hand as Xel retrieved his helmet, hauling the younger man upright as he dusted himself off.

"Thanks for the damn pockmarks, _mir'osik_."

"You're welcome," Fett replied evenly. "Never did get around to paying your father that drink." He shrugged. "Figure saving your life would about settle that debt."

Xel snorted a laugh. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Fett's head shook slightly as he plugged two incoming Rattataki. "No deal. I'm not done here yet."

Xel glanced over at Boba as he suppressed a squad of incoming guards. "Was _wondering_ what you were doing here. So why Rattatak?"

"Restor," Fett answered flatly. "He's got a price on his head for slaving outside his jurisdiction, poaching Imperial supply lines."

"Charming," Xel muttered, slotting a Gamorrean without breaking stride toward the exit. "Guessing he figured out your mission first."

"Affirmative. Kaleesh _schutta_ dumped me in the basement after a mob of his goons ambushed me with stunners. Should've killed me. Don't know why he didn't expect this." Fett snapped another gas cartridge into his rifle once they exited the main arena. "I always get my man."

"You're in luck, Fett," Xel replied, sending a wrist rocket into a group of incoming guards. "I just so happen to be here to poach some of those slaves back. We get to Restor, we can use his access to pop their cells."

Fett just nodded and motioned him toward a side passage. Red plasma crisscrossed the space between them and their path forward, cutting down guards and patrons alike as vengeful anger swept through Xel. An orange bolt punched through a gap in Xel's armor near his shoulder, but he barely felt it as he roared and jetpacked to the attacker. His left hand clenched around the alien's throat as he hefted him off the ground and slammed him against a wall, right hand mowing down the hall on his right with an automatic burst.

The Rattataki in his grasp sputtered and choked for a few seconds before he squeezed harder, his crushgaunts snapping his windpipe almost instantly. Xel dropped the alien to the ground before kicking his side once.

"Those are illegal, you know," Fett said as he strode past Xel's back.

The other hunter snorted and drew his pistols. "Don't see you stopping me."

Fett glanced over his shoulder. "There's no bounty on you, kid."

Xel just shook his head and kept moving forward, into a turbolift alongside the older, more experienced hunter. His Force senses lit up like Coruscant on Empire day barely a split-second before the lift doors opened to reveal a dozen high-powered blaster rifles leveled at them, three barrels pointing back. Fett's rifle sights shifted from one target's head to another as Xel reasoned their chances.

_Only one shot here,_ he thought, slowly lowering his right pistol to switch weapons…

Which was when two streaks of azure energy cut down four of the guards with high-velocity beams. Half of those remaining snapping an about-face, they scanned the hallway and room beyond for movement, yelling excitedly when they spotted something but unable to do anything about it as dozens of bolts of sapphire plasma cut them down. Xel and Fett exchanged a look before jetpacking into the crowd and firing at point-blank. Pandemonium raged for a few moments before silence engulfed the hallway. Fett and Caden pushed themselves upright and dusted their armor off as they checked for survivors.

Finding none, they turned their attention to the empty end of the hallway and proceeded forward cautiously. Once they entered the room beyond and found it empty and darkened, their blasters lowered.

_Weird,_ Xel thought—until he turned around and found the barrel of a DC-17 leveled at his faceplate.

"Hello," he said blankly, startled.

Behind him, Fett was aiming over Xel's shoulder at the new threat, Xel's eyes adjusting to the low light to see a gray Mandalorian faceplate with red trim around the visor staring back at him. His eyes widened.

_Wait a minute—_

"Surprise!" came a higher-pitched, jovial voice from the figure in front of him, the Deece's barrel falling to his side as Xel found himself crushed against another armored body a moment later.

"W-wha—"

"Man," the new Mando said as he pulled away, "you've gotten big, haven't you?" He waved behind Fett. "Oi, _Ord'ika_, Xel's turned into a big man, hasn't he?"

Boba tensed for a moment before whirling around, finding two barrels to his one, held by a man equal his height in dark red Mandalorian armor. His head tilted after a second in curiosity.

"Didn't I shove your head down a 'fresher last time we met?"

Fett glared at him for a few seconds before slowly lowering his weapon as the newcomer did the same. "Ordo," he said flatly. "Cocky as ever, I see." He nodded to him. "Been a few decades since then, you know."

"Ah, the nostalgia," the gray-and-red-armored Mando said with his unoccupied arm around Xel's shoulders.

"Wait," Xel interrupted, waving between all of them. "You know each other?"

"Of _course_," gray said, rubbing the top of Xel's helmet with his glove as he strode toward Boba with open arms. "We're practically _family_."

Fett stopped his approach with two fingers pointed in his direction. "Don't touch me."

He sighed and shook his head. "Always the spoilsport, both of you." He motioned to both Ordo and Boba with a disappointed air.

The man reached up and popped the seal on his _buy'ce_, pulling it off and tucking it against his side to reveal the tanned, scarred face of a man the galaxy knew to be dead. And then he grinned at Xel, laughter in his brown eyes and a streak of gray in his black hair.

"It's been a while, _Xel'ika_. Remember me?"

Xel's mouth was dry and wide open as he stared at the trio blankly, a slow laugh bubbling from his throat as he eventually regained his composure. "Be hard as _haran_ to forget." He clasped the man's hand and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Fi Skirata."

He pulled away and gave them all a size-up as Ordo also pulled off his helmet to reveal a face identical to Fi. Xel grinned.

"Boys…you got no idea how good it is to see you."

* * *

AN: Okay…so, a few things I want to comment on. First, I know the chapters are long. I do. I don't care. Well, I care a bit, which is partially why I'm _making_ them so long. I don't like leaving readers on cliffhangers or other such _osik_, so there. Second—this next chapter is going to be so many shades of OP it isn't even funny, though I fully intend on giggling my _shebs_ off the whole way through.

On that poll, you guys asked, and I listened. Couldn't really find an adequate way to document the sheer badassery of such beloved characters in separate story arcs, so instead I decided to combine them into a massively epic Mandalorian throwdown. This might extend to a three-chapter arc, just so I can give proper tribute to the mind-blowing awesomeness that is Boba Fett and the Skirata Clan, but we'll see. It might just turn out to be one long chapter—again. We'll see.

Anyway, please review this chapter. Boba Fett is probably one of the hardest characters for me to nail down personality-wise, mostly because I haven't read any of his books, and you can never quite tell what's going through his head otherwise. I need someone to let me know if I'm doing him wrong.

Otherwise, I really hope you enjoyed this and are looking forward to a showdown of epic proportions in the latter half of this arc.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake

Oh, and P.S.: Almost forgot. Was really hard to nail down. Still don't have a definite timeline, but based on the guesses from a few sources and the sheer volume of stuff that happened in 3 ABY, I've determined that this chapter occurred _after_ _The Empire Strikes Back_. So, Fett's already dropped off Solo at Jabba's Palace. Just to clear that up.


	46. Acceptance

The Cauldron, Rattatak

3 years, 7 months ABY

"So, what brings the two of you all the way out here?"

Ordo and Fi exchanged a look, the former donning his helmet once more as he and Fett scanned the hallways for movement.

"It's a rescue mission," Fi answered. "Old friend of our _vod_ is stuck here. Roly Melusar, formerly the CO of the 501st Legion's Imperial Commandos."

Xel arched a brow behind his helmet and crossed his arms. "Formerly?"

"Being an outspoken opponent of Force-users isn't exactly the greatest career move."

"His dissent," Ordo added, "became so intense that they needed a way to shut him up without making things messy. So they sold him out, transferred him to a convoy they fed to Togorian pirates, made him disappear in a tragic hijacking. Just another face in the crowd."

Xel's eyes widened. Everything started to make sense at once. Mon Mothma hired him to extract prisoners, but her eye was on one in particular. Who better to get on your side than the former commander of the Empire's elite commando unit? That, however, was assuming he was willing to defect. Given the Rebellion's shared use of Force-users, that would be questionable. Chances were, however, that he'd be better disposed toward joining the rebels than staying loyal to an empire that sold him out…not that it was his problem.

"Seems we have a common goal then," Xel said finally. "Just so happens I've been paid a rather ludicrous sum to spring that convoy from captivity." He nodded at the green-armored figure behind him. "And Fett's here for the guy holding them."

"I say we slot him before we get the prisoners," Ordo said. "Be easier to reach them once the Cauldron's security is in disarray."

"Agreed," Fett added. "But whatever we decide, we need to get out of here. This room's a kriffing killbox."

Fi donned his helmet as Xel nodded and drew his pistols, making his way toward the exit opposite the lift they arrived in.

"Synchronize helmet comlinks," Ordo said.

"Roger," Xel replied, tapping his gauntlet a few times as Fett reluctantly did the same.

They all turned off their external vocalizers without a word, the soft sounds of breathing filling their ears as they proceeded deeper into the arena's bowels. Xel's grip tightened around his right blaster, its barrel pointed straight forward as the other was angled at the ceiling. Dark halls greeted them at every turn, incandescent lamps lining the walls as they proceeded.

"It's too quiet," Fi remarked. "I don't like this, _vod_."

"_Udesii_, Fi," Ordo replied. "Don't get an itchy trigger finger."

Xel could hear the smile in his reply. "It's kind of what I was born for."

A sigh. "At least two targets ahead. Trying to take cover behind some false panels."

"I see 'em."

Xel glanced over at Fi, who crouched with Ordo between him and the hallway, attaching a long, rod-like device to the end of his DC-17M, then popping a different ammo cartridge into the weapon. A holographic scope shone at the middle of the rifle, lined up with Fi's t-visor. Xel's brows furrowed.

_What are they talking about? I don't see—_

He stopped short and stretched out with the Force when he felt something off. His eyes widened.

_I never would've guessed…how did they—_

A single explosive pop heralded the proceeding of a high-velocity projectile from Fi's DC-17M that tore a sizable hole in the wall and caused a muffled thump on the other end. Another two shots penetrated the wall in rapid succession, and another thump answered.

Xel lowered his pistols with an approving whistle. "Nice catch. Didn't even think about that."

Fi chuckled lightly. "That's 'cause you're a mongrel, kid."

The younger Mando arched a brow. "Mongrel?"

"Down!" Ordo shouted, dive-rolling into a small alcove as orange plasma crisscrossed the high-vaulted hallway.

Xel and Fett immediately took to the air, laying down rapid fire as Fi and Ordo laid into the enemy from the ground. The accuracy of his backup was nothing short of incredible, and as the seconds ticked by in their pitched firefight, Ordo wordlessly motioned for Fi to lay down covering fire with his weapon's blaster attachment while he appropriated the fake panel hideaway for himself. Two bolts of blue plasma from Ordo's DC-17 pistols nailed one of the guards before cutting down two more in the space of a second.

Xel alternated fire with Boba at opposite sides of the hallway, forcing their attackers to retreat behind a line of deployable energy shields. And then Ordo spotted something off in the distance and yelled into their shared comlink.

"Plex! Hit the deck!"

Both Xel and Boba cut their jetpacks at the same time as two missile launchers fired in tandem, one at the airborne pair, the other at Ordo's hidey-hole. Two deafening explosions split the hallway, sending duracrete and glass falling from the walls and ceilings as the supports started to give out.

"Fett," Xel shouted, "I'll take Fi, you grab Ordo!"

"I don't take orders from you, kid!"

Nevertheless, that's exactly how it played out as they both dove and launched themselves toward their respective targets, Xel catapulting into Fi and flying him out of the hallway as Boba's hand clasped around Ordo's forearm, dragging them both to safety. When the dust settled and smoke cleared, they all stared at the collapsed hallway, Fi sounding half-dazed.

"Well, that was entirely too close."

The four Mandos dusted themselves off, rising to their feet and checking their weapons.

"That collapsed hallway is gonna make reaching Restor…problematic," Xel said.

"Only if you don't know the layout of this place backward and forward," Fett objected, tapping a few keys on his left gauntlet. A rough holographic projection of the arena and its schematics came from a device on his forearm.

"Whoa," Xel breathed, "how'd you get a hold of those?"

"Didn't. I made them from memory." Boba tapped the side of his helmet.

Ordo stared at him for a moment, then merely grunted in approval. "Lead the way then. Fi, take up the rear. Caden, watch his back. I'll cover Fett."

Xel nodded and formed up on the red-gray armored Mando, both pistols scanning their surroundings. A fierce sense of nostalgia and glee hit him without warning, and a stupid grin was plastered to his features as the forms of his allies brought him back to a better, simpler time. He shook his head slowly to gently clear the memories away, refocusing on their shared mission. His stance turned tense when they rounded a corner and angled all their weapons forward upon hearing the roar of a savage beast.

_Ohhh…_

The collective charging whines of their blasters filled the air, and Xel grinned from ear to ear.

_Welcome home, Xel._

…

3 years ago

Athiss

2 months, 2 weeks ABY

_Click. Click. Click._

The tapping of Xel's hard leather boots against the ancient stone floors of the temple sent eerie echoes through the hallway to the chamber beyond. Upon stepping in, he looked to all corners of the room, finding nothing out of order. No figures, no phantoms come to torment him from the grave. Just four passages hewn into the walls of the room, indistinguishable from one another, at least at their starts.

_Don't trust your eyes. Appearances lie._

His last memory of being here flashed through his vision, the fall of a crimson blade bursting against the backs of his eyes. He exhaled hard and closed them a moment later, feeling a closed gate in his mind and probing at its lock, chipping away inch by inch until it started to crack open. He jammed a mental lever into the gap and tried to force it open more, but only succeeded in giving himself a headache. A deep breath entered his lungs and was blown out slowly as Xel tried his hardest to calm his frayed nerves and overworked heart.

Again, he acknowledged the gate and probed at it, gently this time, patiently tugging at it until gaps and sparks of light began to fill the edges of his vision. A low rumble went through the ground and his surroundings, snapping him from his concentration but allowing him to feel his surroundings better. The presence at the edge of his consciousness had increased, by a small amount, but enough to make him smile a little. That smile vanished when a blast of cold wind blew over him, going straight through all his clothes and chilling him to the bone.

He held up his arms against the offending air current, glaring at its source, one of the four passages, and moving toward it slowly. His right hand ignited his lightsaber, holding it against the darkness of the passage as he closed his eyes and focused in the Force. A gentle but insistent tug pulled him in the direction of the passage, and a grim frown creased his features as his eyes opened to glare into the darkness. Another breath passed through his lungs as he entered, holding his saber two-handedly, around shoulder level, as he marched forward.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut as he moved past relief sculptures and hieroglyphics strewn about him, hewn into the walls. One in particular caught his attention, eyes narrowing as he held his saber just off its surface. He stared in profound curiosity as the pale blue light revealed a small relief of a robed man with crossed arms and armor under said robes, a mask over his face with a single horizontal eyeslit. Lettering in another unknown language was strewn all about the image, clearly telling a story, but one that Xel could not read…yet.

_"Traitor…"_

The whisper jolted Xel from his inspection, head snapping in the direction of the darkness, the voice echoing off the walls and making it impossible to tell the source. Instead, he grit his teeth and pressed onward. The halls went on and on and on, the sheer monotony of the gray stones around him tinted by the light of his saber nearly enough to drive him mad. And that was _without_ the constant whispers tugging at the edges of his consciousness. _With_ them, Xel was ready to start carving up the walls with his lightsaber.

Finally getting to his wit's end, Xel exited the hall in a room seemingly without walls, though that was mostly due to the fact that he couldn't see them, being that only a portion of the room was even lit by his lightsaber. Everything was just blackness.

_"Coward."_

_ "Killer."_

_ "Backstabber."_

_ "Psychopath."_

Xel felt the familiar voices hammer against his mind endlessly, left hand pressing against the side of his head as he tried to block them out. Finally, he snarled in anger and whirled toward the heart of the darkness.

"Shut _uuuuup_!" he roared, deep voice echoing off the unseen walls of the chamber.

Instantly, they quieted.

Xel took several heavy breaths, wiping his sweat-stained brow and looking around for a way forward.

_ Feel, don't think, remember?_

He could almost hear Telia's voice in his mind, not like it had been in this temple, but as of old, when she treated him with kindness and patience. _Shab_, he wished for just one minute with her. One chance to see her smile, to hear her laugh. He'd known her for barely a couple of months, and yet the bond between them had been…unbreakable, save by death. Pushing that away for now, he opened himself to the Force and allowed it to guide his steps once more, pushing into the center of the open chamber and stopping somewhere in the darkness.

Looking around, he couldn't tell which way he'd come in. Lips pursing, he held the saber hilt tighter and closer to his body, an eerie silence descending on him. Rather than the dull, atmospheric hum of his saber, however, it was like his surroundings had been wrapped in pure silence, the sheer absence of sound. An ominous feeling crept up his spine, chills passing through his bloodstream and causing gooseflesh to appear all over his body. His grip tightened further, jaw clenching as tension permeated every inch of his frame.

The Force screamed at him from the back of his mind, and he whirled around to swing his saber in a diagonal strike. A _snap-hiss_ split the air as a blood-red blade sprang into existence, its movement mirroring his own as they locked in a deadly whine. Golden sparks flew from their sabers as they pushed against each other, the red and blue casting pale, ghostly light over two figures, one jacketed, one hooded. A pair of silver eyes glinted in the light of their blades, meeting Xel's blue through the smoke and sparks flying from the point of contact. Not a word was exchanged, but the situation was clear.

Only one of them was walking out of there alive.

…

Present

Rattatak

A wet _schlick_ indicated the yanking of a _beskar_ blade from the severed brain stem of a Boma, the beast having been one of many deployed against the four rampaging Mandalorians. Xel wiped its marred silver-and-steel gray surface on the edge of his gauntlet before returning it to his belt sheath. Ordo covered one end of the hallway they were stationed in with a wary stance, one of his pistols lowering to its holster as that hand pulled out a computer interface tool. Fett was motioning to a wall panel, Ordo nodding in response and working at it for a few moments before a quiet click sounded, and the panel shifted to reveal a square ventilation shaft.

Xel frowned sideways.

_Just _had _to be the vents._

"Does anyone else notice how easy this has been so far?"

The other three Mandos turned to their younger compatriot and gave him a look.

Xel shrugged. "That's what I thought."

"Why?" Fi asked.

"Vents aren't exactly easy to maneuver in, and if we're all inside and they find us, it's fish in a barrel."

"So we split," Ordo said, tapping his forearm plate and summoning a copy of Fett's schematics. "Fett and I will take the vent route, Fi and Xel the main halls. You two make enough of a ruckus, they won't even think to look in our direction. Until further notice, we should abstain from using any long-range communications, just in case they manage to tap our frequency."

Xel exchanged a look with Fi, feeling a wave of glee coming from his gray-armored form. A mad chuckle came from the older man's throat as he reconfigured his Deece in its demolition mode and clapped Xel on the shoulder.

"Good luck, _Ord'ika_," Fi said in parting. "Come on, Xel. Let's lay down some hate."

Xel smirked. "Roger that."

Both pistols cleared his holsters as they proceeded through one hallway after the next, each one free and clear. Xel's eyes narrowed as he exchanged a wary look with Fi.

"I don't like this…"

A touch at Xel's shoulder brought one of his pistols jammed into the face of—Ordo?

"_Ord'ika_," Fi said, "thought you were on all fours by now."

Ordo glanced at him, pushing Xel's pistol down and away. "Changed my mind. Fett's taking the other route. Figured it'd be better to have three moving in than just two. He's a known lone act. We aren't."

"So if there are only two of us," Xel added, "they're gonna start to wonder."

"Exactly," Ordo said, pushing past them both to take point.

Fi and Xel exchanged a look, then shrugged and followed behind. About a minute later, blaster fire rang out in front of them, but not heading in their direction. Furrowing his brows briefly in confusion, realization dawned on him a moment later.

Xel smirked. "That would be mine."

Ordo and Fi glanced at him.

"Planted a little 'false flag' within their ranks. With any luck, he's already sent a false message to ISB, which means they're gonna be coming down on this place any time now."

The trio rounded a corner to march into a scorched hallway, pockmarks and bodies strewn about. Only one was still standing, a droid in the shell of the Cauldron's automated guards. It strode up to them, Ordo and Fi leveling their blasters at its head as it stared them down.

The droid turned to Xel. "I didn't know we were expecting company."

Xel snorted a laugh. "We weren't," he said as he holstered his blasters. "But the more the merrier, right?"

"Affirmative," he replied with a nod, pulling off his head armor and marching toward a false panel in a nearby wall.

"Uh…Xel?" Fi asked. "What is that?"

He smirked. "Meet Ne'tra Tor, formerly designated PT-37, a Purge Trooper of the Imperial Army." He glanced at the brothers. "He's my copilot."

Fi lowered his rifle and gave the droid a long look as he donned his normal armor. "'Black Justice?' Interesting name."

Xel smiled widely, not that they could see it. "He _earned_ that name in the skies above Alzoc III over a year ago."

Fi gave Xel a sideways look. "Wait…"

Xel looked back at him, amusement in his features.

"Wait, that whole…incident, you know, with the factory and the—"

"Yep?"

"That was _you_?"

Xel grinned behind his faceplate. "Yep."

He exchanged a look with his brother. "_Shab_. How much did that cost the Empire?"

"A great deal, I'm sure. Alen would know the exact credit amount, probably, since he's been in their intelligence systems, but I'm satisfied with 'a lot.'"

Fi shook his head slowly. "You just continue to amaze, _Xel'ika_."

Xel just grinned and turned to Tor. "You good?"

The droid pulled a T-27 heavy blaster from a magnetic port in his back plates and nodded. "Primary turbolift is in the next corridor. Security scans show heavy resistance near the top of the shaft."

Fi popped another clip into his Deece and spoke with a malevolent smile in his voice. "Then let's not keep 'em waiting."

Xel cast Ordo a look as he drew his blasters and tapped his forearm gauntlet a few times, brows furrowing when he reached out with the Force and felt…nothing. He stared at the older Mando for a while, looking away when Ordo started to stare back. They followed Tor to the aforementioned turbolift, Xel casting wary looks at the red-armored Skirata. A persistent, ominous feeling in the Force crept up his spine.

_Something is seriously wrong here. I feel nothing when I reach out to him. That _never_ happens._

For the moment, he decided to keep a weathered eye on him and one hand on his blaster.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

_Screech!_

A pair of heavy leather soles dragged across stone floor as a powerful blow sent Xel skidding four feet backward. He withdrew step by step as a red blade swung at him from several directions, its hum passing him by mere inches every time. His own lightsaber was held loosely at his side, Xel not relying on it for the moment, instead preferring to analyze his opponent's style and gauge his potential weaknesses. Unfortunately, as barely half a minute of analysis revealed, the apprentice's style was quite similar to his master's, utilizing the higher tiers of Form V: Djem So, with elements of other styles thrown in.

Unlike Vader, this man's adaptations were far more limited, and he relied almost exclusively on Form V. This, however, was far from a disadvantage. He was, near as Xel could tell, a _master_ of his style. And unlike Xel, he wasn't out of practice. The Mando kept backpedaling by the step until his back hit a wall. The apprentice lunged and swiped upward, Xel dashing to the side only to roll away when his opponent spun his body in the same movement and slashed horizontally, nearly taking his head off.

The Mando rolled to his feet and twirled to face his opponent, angling his blade upward to deflect a hailstorm of vertical strikes that battered his defenses into nothingness. A firm thrust kick was planted on his chest, sending him sliding across the slick stone floor into a wall. The red blade halted its approach some eight feet away, its owner pacing around him and lazily twirling his saber as Xel slowly pushed himself upright. The Mando groaned quietly, eyeing the apprentice carefully, then lunging into a dive-roll and igniting his lightsaber on the way up.

His blade thrust toward the apprentice's midsection, deflected and shunted aside almost effortlessly as he countered with a spinning slash to the left of his neck. Xel's lightsaber came around in a wing block, his body spinning counterclockwise to bring him within the apprentice's reach and elbow him in the side of the head. The apprentice's left palm came up to stop his strike and push him away while simultaneously swinging for his midsection. Xel dropped to a low crouch and spun clockwise, feeling the heat of the red blade pass over his head as he slashed for the apprentice's legs.

His black-clad body flew into the air and twirled over his head, landing behind him and swinging downward. Xel rolled sideways, hearing the sizzle of his opponent's blade cut through the stone floor. The glow of the red lightsaber faded to the edges of his consciousness, his opponent standing in place to stare at him from across the room.

_"Who do you think you are?"_

Xel's head snapped to the side, the disembodied voice of his father haunting him from the shadows.

_"Strutting about with your saber in hand and armor on your body, not a care for who lives and dies so long as it isn't you."_

Xel's teeth gritted as his eyes squeezed shut.

_"But no one can escape their past forever," _Telia said.

_"Judgment always finds you."_

_ "Do yourself a favor and just accept it."_

Caden's entire being tensed up as he opened himself to the Force, feeling the weight of thousands of lives suddenly drop onto his shoulders like a crashing starship. The air rushed from his lungs as he labored for breath, his eyes snapping open when a warning from the Force hit him. They widened a moment later, his arms rushing up to stop an incoming red blade from splitting him in half. The apprentice planted a kick on his chest, a profound sense of _déjà vu _hitting Xel with the move.

Another vertical strike came down, and Xel rolled to the side as before, counterattacking with a palm-driven thrust that was batted aside. The Mando kept up his assault, staying at a medium distance but not giving the apprentice an opening for counterattack by leveling all his weight into each strike and constantly battering his defenses with an endless flow of blows. One movement blended into the next, much the same as he had seen Clyde do just over a month earlier. His opponent withdrew in a sudden leap, clearing ten feet of distance and spinning into a full-body twirl that added power to a downward diagonal strike.

Xel halted his charge just shy of being slashed across the chest, twirling his lightsaber to catch the red blade just behind its tip and keep its path of motion going past his body. He countered with a thrust and felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest when the edge of the apprentice's arm was cut, the smell of burnt cloth and flesh filling the air. The Mando lunged past him, spinning around to press his advantage. His blade was stopped barely halfway through its swing, the apprentice's eyes burning with rage as a low growl emanated from his throat. Dark blue eyes widened.

_Oh _shab_._

A feral roar proceeded from the Sith as Xel felt his entire body shake with the force of his rage, actually stumbling back a step. The apprentice twirled his saber vertically, batting Xel's saber aside and launching a series of fast, powerful strikes that quickly tired the Mando. A shallow cut blossomed on his left shoulder as he yelped and withdrew. But the Sith would have none of it. He kept pressing forward, constantly staying up in Xel's face and leveling the full force of his might against the boy. His right leg was cut solidly, and he screamed as he collapsed to one knee, a burst of anger throwing the apprentice fifteen feet back.

He hissed and groaned, placing one hand against his injured leg and trying to use the Force to heal the injury or at least dull the pain. The red blade steadily approached as panic started to fill Xel's veins, all strength leaving his body a moment later when the apprentice lifted his left hand, fingers splayed outward. A half-dozen tongues of azure lightning lanced from his hand, curling and crackling around Xel's body as he screamed and collapsed to the floor, his body writhing in agony.

_"Your pain has only begun, _auretii_!"_

Xel forced himself to look up at the Sith, his tortured body failing him as he tried to stand.

_ "Fighting is useless, son. The time has come for you to accept your fate."_

The Mando's teeth gritted, his eyes slamming shut against both their words and the pain of the lightning.

_"Join with the _Manda_, Xel. Accept and this will all be over."_

A tongue of despair and regret burned through him, the boy writhing and screaming endlessly as the air burned in his lungs. Finally, it stopped, leaving his muscles twitching and a small cloud of smoke rising from his broken frame. His blue eyes opened, looking up hopelessly at the black-clad figure above him as he slowly spun his lightsaber. What a relief it would be…for all this to finally end. No more guilt or pain. Just sweet oblivion. His eyes closed once more as the apprentice's saber rose to charge up for a cleaving strike.

"As my master said," the apprentice spoke, "weak, broken." A low, menacing chuckle came from his throat. "Now…die."

Xel looked up at him as the blade started to fall, the world around him slowed to a crawl as his life flashed before his closing eyes. Conflicting emotions swept his features as the memories came in a high-speed film reel. Mandalore. Laughing at a drunk Cerril Ordo. Meeting his mother, Maila. That first night spent with his lover on Nar Shaddaa.

_Maila._

Dark blue eyes snapped wide open, the Sith blade entering the lower half of its arc.

_"_Aay'han bal shereshoy_. Don't have one to the exclusion of the other. Please. Do it for me."_

Shereshoy_…_

The hum of the red blade intensified to a fever pitch as the apprentice swung with all his might, the saber falling like a meteor until—

"No."

The word was quietly spoken, barely above a whisper, but it seemed to reverberate throughout the room like a crack of thunder. Xel's jaw tightened slightly as he slowly rose to his feet, the blade rising with him, having stopped barely three inches from his head. The apprentice growled and raged as his saber refused to fall, the Mandalorian holding it back by sheer force of will. A flash of rage swept through him as a blast of Force energy catapulted the apprentice thirty feet across the room to smack into a stone wall back first. He roared as he leapt to his feet, snarling at Xel, who waved his hand to the side and recalled his lightsaber.

Xel glared into the endless darkness. "You are _not_ my parents. You are the projections of a pathetic, sadistic entity. _My_ parents knew that fate was a lie. My _father_ would _never_ have approved of just 'giving up,' and my mother understood the difference between suicide and sacrifice." He turned back to the apprentice. "The will of the Force dictates our abilities, our options. Fate is the decisions we make when presented with those options. We _choose_ our path, and we only go wrong when we allow others to dictate that path for us."

Xel's jaw tightened. "I made that mistake last year, when I gave the Dark Side residence in my life, in my soul. I let my own hate and grief and denial drive me to do terrible things, to abandon who I was and those that cared about me." He looked into the darkness, a flicker of light burning in its midst. "I abandoned so many. My friends, the family I _chose_." Pain flickered through his features. "I left them for dead. I own that." He looked back to the apprentice and glared at him.

_Snap-hiss_.

"But _you_—" his blade hummed with deadly intent as he pointed it in his direction, "—you were the one who slew them. You and your master." He lifted the blade and held its hilt two-handedly. "And I am _done_ taking the blame for your actions. I was weak, yes. Broken, absolutely." His eyes blazed as a determined fury and a feeling he hadn't experienced in ages filled his veins. "But never again will I just submit to that."

The flicker intensified, sparks burning hotter and brighter as the stone walls became slightly visible.

"There is _always_ hope, even in the middle of darkness."

A small, candle-like flame sprouted, barely illuminating glyphs and reliefs and the forms of the two duelists.

"There is no death…only the Force. It was here before I was born, and it'll _be _here long after I'm gone."

An open fire erupted from the candle, igniting a series of torches in a chain reaction that steadily increased the light of the room.

"Life sustains the Force, and the Force, life. So long as I live, I remember the fallen. So long as I remember them, they live on, both in me and the Force."

The fires blazed and roared with heat and light, the sudden eruption almost blinding against the pitch darkness that had permeated the room.

"My _parents_ taught me that…and I swear on the _Manda_, it is a lesson I will never again forget …even to the day I die." His eyes narrowed, grip tightening around his saber. "I am going to live, _hut'uun_. I will become stronger and better, the man they always wanted me to be. The man my brother and the woman I—" he hesitated a moment, heart skipping a beat and a smile twitching his lips, "—the woman I _love_ believe I can be." His head cocked slightly. "You're in my way." He smiled widely, malevolently, hefting his lightsaber. "So…let's—go."

Three seconds passed before an enraged roar filled the room and the two figures charged each other, both spinning at the last second for blue and red to meet in a shower of golden sparks.

…

Present

Rattatak

Xel kept casting Ordo weird looks, but the Mando didn't seem to notice, or at least didn't let on. Meanwhile, the foreboding feeling from the Force had only intensified as they'd entered the lift and started riding it upward. Turning off his external vocabulator, he linked his comlink to Fi's helmet.

"Fi…I think something's wrong with Ordo."

The other Mando did the same. "What do you mean? He's always like this."

"I don't just mean quiet and broody. I mean…" He sighed hard. "I can't feel him in the Force."

Fi's stance tensed slightly.

"I know he's there, physically. I can see him…but I can't feel him. It's not like he's blocking me out. It's like…an absence. Like he's not even there."

Fi remained silent a while, casting a glance at Ordo, then turning back to Xel. "Are you sure?"

Xel nodded slightly.

The red-gray armored Mando glanced at Ordo with a smile in his voice. "Hey, _Ord'ika_, you remember when _buir_ got us that spiced mynock on Mygeeto, when we had some off time? Darman almost choked on it when Kal told him what it was."

Ordo nodded slowly. "Fun times," he deadpanned.

"Yeah, it was…" Fi turned forward, t-visor staring at the door. "Except for the fact that it never happened."

Ordo tensed for a moment, then went for his blasters at the same time as Fi.

Fi was faster.

A loud _bdapp_ filled the humming air of the turbolift a moment before "Ordo's" body hit the floor, a smoking hole in his head.

Xel gaped at them both. "Fi…what the hell?"

"Just wait," he said with a raised hand.

Slowly but surely, the armored form of their comrade faded into a black-furred, bipedal creature with fangs and a smoking hole in its head.

Xel was dumbstruck for a moment. "Again…what the hell?"

Fi crouched by its body. "Like I thought…Gurlanin."

The Mando arched an eyebrow at his partner. "Gurlanin?"

Fi nodded slowly, standing up. "Shapeshifters. My squad worked with a few during the Clone Wars. Had the uncanny ability to hide themselves in the Force, make themselves all but invisible to everyone around them." He tilted his head briefly. "Couldn't hide from a blaster bolt though." Fi tapped the side of his helmet. "Ordo, I'm breakin' radio silence. We just ran into a Gurlanin posing as you. Little chance there'll be more, but watch your back."

"Understood," came the other Mando's voice.

Xel heaved a sigh of relief, shaking his head and turning back to the turbolift's door. A moment later, it opened to reveal two dozen armed Rattataki with heavy weapons leveled at them.

Xel and Fi exchanged a look, the former speaking into their helmet-to-helmet link. "_Beskar_ or no, I don't think we can survive this many at point-blank with no maneuvering room."

Fi sighed hard and lowered his Deece. "They win this round."

Xel's teeth clenched as he did the same with his pistols, pushing Tor's T-27 down. The guards immediately moved in to cuff and disarm them, one of them hitting the droid with an ion disruptor that immediately offlined him.

_Well played, Restor. You win…for now._

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Golden sparks flashed, blue and silver eyes reflecting the light every time their blades made contact with each other. Xel's leg was burning like a mother, but in the rush of his adrenaline-filled assault, he hardly had the time or presence of mind to feel that pain. Everything he was and had was focused on the apprentice, their lightsabers engaged in a lightning-fast dance of death, neither of them giving or taking ground as they stood in place. The apprentice tapped Xel's wing block an instant before Xel countered with an upward swipe and snapped his head away from a decapitating slash.

He charged back in a moment later, deflecting the next attack and head-butting him solidly, then shoving him with a shoulder charge. The apprentice backpedaled away from a swiping lunge, smacking Xel's blade to the right, then splaying his fingers outward. Xel was ready. A green lightsaber ignited with a _snap-hiss_ as lightning streamed from the pale man's fingers, attracting and absorbing the electric tendrils as he regained control of his own saber. Blue swung for his head, the green following a moment later as he put him on the defensive.

Strikes rained down on the apprentice from every direction, the crackle and whine of their sabers filling the air until it was almost constant. Following a rapid-fire barrage of blows from Xel, the Mando brought both his blades in the same horizontal direction, the apprentice meeting his two sabers with a vertical block that filled the air with a long screech. They struggled against one another for a few moments, Xel baring his clenched teeth and lunging forward, adding Force to his step.

The apprentice was actually thrown off-balance, barely managing to readjust in time to spin his saber in a double-deflect of Xel's lightsabers. A twirl of his saber added power to an upward strike that disarmed Caden of his mother's blade, but Xel didn't miss a step, locking swords with him in an X. The two warriors strained against each other, shifting their footing in a circular motion, each trying to throw the other off-balance until the apprentice managed to establish a fulcrum. He shoved his weight forward and nearly snapped Xel's blade from his hand, spinning his own with the downward push to meld into a horizontal strike that was dodged.

Both charged up with vertical strikes, meeting high, then low as they passed each other and spun, their movements mirroring each other, save for the apprentice's flair and flourish. Their swords met close to Xel's left leg, the blue blade keeping the red from falling into his good limb. Straining for another moment, Xel managed to overpower him, snapping his blade upward and away, then spinning in a horizontal strike that rent a loose part of the apprentice's cloak. A Force Push sent Xel sliding back a few feet, followed by a Falling Avalanche that was barely dodged in time.

Fire lit up the back of Xel's right shoulder as the tip of the red blade sliced through, the Mando rolling away and spinning about to charge back at him. Three rapid strikes were exchanged—shoulder, head, leg—before the apprentice swept his blade about and slashed horizontally, aiming to bisect Xel. The Mando leapt and corkscrewed over his strike, a mere two inches between his body and the blade. Still in a crouch, he saw the next attack coming and smirked just slightly.

The apprentice swung in the opposite direction, aiming for Xel's neck, and the Mando leaned as far to the side as he could, his blade held up defensively.

Until it vanished.

The tip of the red lightsaber missed Xel's neck by a miniscule margin, but with nothing to oppose its substantial momentum, the blade just kept going—leaving a gaping hole in the Sith's defenses.

Fast as lightning, Xel pushed off his back leg and lunged, a ringing _snap-hiss_ splitting the air as a sapphire blade plunged into his opponent's midsection. Incoherent spluttering came from the Sith as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. A red lightsaber deactivated and dropped to the ground as Xel slowly rose to his feet, blue eyes staring into silver ones with confidence. A moment later, he yanked the blade free and slashed him from hip to shoulder, the Sith twisting with the motion and landing face-down on the stones.

Staring at the body for a few moments, Xel heaved with heavy breaths, leaning over the corpse to pull the hood back—only to find no body inside. He blinked a moment later, and the robes too were gone. And then it all hit him at once: the bruises, the exhaustion, the overtaxation of his cardiorespiratory system that made him feel like his chest was on fire. He nearly collapsed in exhaustion, but was kept upright by an invisible grip that caught him, gently keeping him aloft until he could regain his footing and stand on his own.

Slow claps filled the air as Xel turned toward the source, an older man with salt-and-pepper hair and violet irises.

"In all my years…I have to say, I have never seen anything quite so impressive as that." The man smiled warmly and clasped his hands together, then held them out to Xel. "Come, my child. You've earned this."

Xel heaved a few more heavy breaths, the back of his hand wiping his forehead as he recalled Telia's lightsaber. "Earned what?" he asked, taking a few shaky steps toward him.

A few shaky steps was as far as he got, as his legs gave out a moment later, his vision fading to darkness as his taxed body began to shut down. Physical arms stopped his fall this time, the man having crossed half the room in less than a split-second to catch him. He was held firmly but gently, lifted off the ground and carried toward a side passage. The gentle rocking of his steps lulled Xel into an easy slumber, his fading mind barely catching the man's response.

"Peace."

…

Present

Rattatak

Restor var Ne'tas stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring out into the vast expanse of Rattatak's arid terrain from the observation deck of his quarters. When he heard shuffling and heavy steps from behind, he turned around and smiled nastily at the three t-visored figures that were brought in and shoved in front of him.

"So, I wasn't wrong about your abilities after all."

Xel hissed and made a rude gesture with his right hand.

The Kaleesh chuckled. "As it turns out, you weren't bluffing about that inside man." He glanced over at the inactive droid. "Though not so much a man per se."

"What do you want?" Fi asked.

The Keeper shrugged. "Galactic peace and a glass of _Naiana_…though not necessarily in that order." His slitted eyes became predatory as rage filled them, turning to Xel. "Do you have…_any_ idea what you've cost me? You and your Mando friends not only broke the rules of my arena, you made it abundantly clear that I cannot control my own fighters! The physical damage to the building is _nothing_ compared to the damage you've done to my clientele."

"Good," Xel snarled. "If I had the resources and time, I'd burn this whole damn _place_ to the ground. There are few things in this galaxy that I truly hate. Death profiteers are one of them."

Restor snorted. "You're one to talk, hunter. How many lives have you taken in the name of getting paid?"

"None," he replied, chin high. "Every life I've taken has been in the name of justice. The money is incidental."

The Kaleesh snarled. "Well bully for you," he growled.

An instant later, a wickedly serrated blade punched through a gap in Xel's armor, causing startled gasps and spluttering to come from his throat as he twitched in place.

"Xel!" Fi shouted, lunging toward him only to be stopped by four pairs of arms.

Restor yanked the blade free, wiping its jagged edges on his sleeve, then sheathing the knife as Xel collapsed to his knees, then flopped onto his side. Fi was finally allowed to rush to his side, crouching over his body and examining the wound, then looking up at the Kaleesh.

"What did you do to him?" he demanded.

"I killed him," the Keeper responded flatly. "Well…he doesn't know it yet, but that blade punched through a major artery near his kidney." He waved at the knife. "And just to make sure, I coated this particular shiv with a powerful Verpine neurotoxin."

Fi desperately pressed his quickly dampening palms against the point of injury.

"If the blood loss doesn't kill him, the poison will." He leaned over the armored pair smugly. "You've lost."

Fi glared up at him as his younger friend bled out in his arms, looking back down at him. "Hang on, _Xel'ika_. Help is coming."

Xel labored for every breath, wheezing as he noticed a lack of feeling spreading outward from the point of injury.

"Just hang on."

* * *

AN: Cliffhanger! I know I said I hate leaving you guys at places like this, especially with so much time between chapter releases, but it was necessary. All right, a few things. First, I think I finally realized where I want to go with both the "present" and "past" halves of this season. The present is going to be rather…reminiscent of _Shadows of the Empire_, for those of you familiar with that particular story arc in Legends. The past? Well…the past, like most of the flashbacks I've put in thus far, will be very heavily influenced by _The Old Republic_ and that particular segment of history.

For those of you that got my hidden reference in the temple glyphs, I think you're gonna love where I take the flashback storyline. As for Xel's current…predicament, I couldn't find a way to present a golden opportunity to capitalize on the other Mandos' unique skill sets and personalities without making them seem like peripheral characters. Poisoning/crippling my character seemed like the way to go.

Apart from that, I can't think of anything else I want to mention.

Please review this chapter. Saber duels are something I really want to capitalize on in this season, so I need to know that I'm still up to snuff in that regard.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	47. Hunters

The Cauldron, Rattatak

3 years, 7 months ABY

Ordo's helmet comlink clicked on, Fi's voice filling his ear.

"_Vod_, we have a problem."

Ordo's brown eyes widened slightly. "I don't like your tone, Fi."

"It's Xel…he's been stabbed. The bleeding's mostly under control now, but according to the _chakaar _that gutted him, the blade was poisoned. Lookin' at how pale he is right now, I'd say he was tellin' the truth."

"Where are you right now?"

"If I had to guess, the topmost observation tower in the Cauldron. My helmet vocabulator's off, so all they think I'm doing is tending to the kid."

"I'm no…kid," the aforementioned eighteen-year-old groaned weakly.

"I know, _Xel'ika_. Anger keeps you awake. Can't afford to let you fall asleep on me."

Ordo glanced back at the green-armored hunter behind him. "We're about three floors below you. Give us five minutes. In the meantime, tell us what you see."

"Lot of guards. About a dozen heavily armored Rattataki, plus the Kaleesh. Oh _shab_."

Ordo blinked. "What?"

"They're moving us. Don't know where, but Restor's coming to escort us personally…and they're leaving the droid behind."

Ordo's brows furrowed. "What droid?"

"Xel had a droid on the inside. Some commando custom job, work of art. They deactivated it with an ion disruptor and left it in his office."

"Him," Xel coughed. "Left _him_.Don't leave him behind. He can help you, trust me."

Ordo frowned and exchanged a look with Fett. "If we reactivate him, how will he know we're friendly?"

"There's a pass-phrase. '_Ti solus ka'rta tor_.' He'll give the countersign, '_mhi ven arana te shuk'la_.'"

Ordo's eyebrows hiked upward. "Interesting statement."

Xel chuckled weakly. "I like it."

Fett gave Ordo a confused look, then shook his head. "We don't have time to stop for a droid. Restor is _leaving_, and if he escapes, none of us come out on top."

"Then _you_ go after him," Ordo replied. "Keep track of their movements and update me on here." He tapped the gauntlet containing their makeshift schematics. "Better if we come at them from two directions."

Fett checked his schematics, then branched off toward their estimated path. "If you're late, I won't wait for you."

"I'm never late, _di'kut_. Now get moving."

Fett snorted and moved off, Ordo going in the opposite direction and reaching a vertical shaft in seconds. He fired a grappling hook to the top of the shaft and reeled himself two floors up, referring to the schematics he'd memorized to make his way to the observation deck. His red-armored form dropped from a grate in the ceiling about a minute later, DC-17 pistols clearing his holsters and the room beyond. A cursory glance confirmed he was alone, save for a black-armored droid with dark green highlights over a t-visor and its pauldrons. Inactive, the droid still looked intimidating—or it would've if Ordo hadn't seen more than his fair share of high-powered commando droids. He holstered his pistols and crouched over the inactive metal body, feeling around its chassis for any indication of how to reactivate it.

The Mando frowned in concentration, reaching inside the helmet module of the droid's armor to run his fingers over a spring-loaded button. He pushed it, and a click later, it retreated into the neck of the automaton. A mechanical whir sounded from its head module, a series of hums and sizzles reverberating throughout its body until—a mechanical hand wrapped itself around Ordo's throat. Skirata jabbed the tip of a vibroblade into an exposed section of the droid's hand servo, causing its grip to become limp for a brief moment, long enough for him to dive-roll away.

"_Ti solus ka'rta tor_!"

Ne'tra Tor slowly regained his footing, staring at Ordo for a long moment. "_Mhi ven arana te shuk'la_," his grating, metallic voice sounded. He straightened up. "My captain sent you?"

Ordo nodded. "He's been captured and poisoned, on the move right now. I need your help to spring him."

A panel in the droid's back shifted, his right arm reaching back to pull a WESTAR-M5 rifle from it. "Consider it done."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

2 months, 2 weeks ABY

Xel awoke to the sweet smell of roasting fruit, body still half-numb from sleep and eyes refusing to open. A low rumble came from his throat as he forced his arms to work and managed to prop himself up on an elbow. Opening his eyes slowly, he blinked several times to clear away the cobwebs and let his eyes adjust to a gentle light beyond the safety of the lids. Golden light filtered through a small rectangular window hewn into the side of a stone wall, open air filling his lungs and clearing his head somewhat.

_Last night—that old man…must've been Fenrim._

He groaned and rubbed the side of his head.

_Or another damn vision._

"I assure you, young one—"

Xel nearly leapt to the ceiling as he whirled toward the source of the voice, who smiled at him warmly.

"—I am no illusion."

Xel stared at him openmouthed for a while.

The man's violet eyes danced with laughter as he waved him over. "Come on. I'm roasting manta pears. You ever try them grilled?"

Caden remained silent as he moved over and sat warily.

"No, I didn't think so." The man jabbed a large fork into one of the fruits, then flipped it over a makeshift spit. "As you've probably figured out, I am the academy's resident…professor. The 'headmaster,' if you will." He laid one of the slightly charred fruits on a pewter plate and handed it to the still-silent Xel. "I know everything that goes on within these walls. I know about all the new arrivals, all the internal strife and disagreements." He gave Xel a long-suffering look. "You have no idea what a burden it can be." He smirked. "Although perhaps I'm wrong about that. What do you think?"

Xel slowly reached down and lifted a slice of the fruit to his lips, biting down and letting his eyes widen as his mouth exploded in a fountain of flavors, the kick of the juices causing him to cough several times as he adjusted. "I think…I need the recipe for this."

The older man grinned and laughed heartily, a knowing, enjoying sound that spoke of decades upon decades of life and experience. The kind of laugh that one might expect from a doting grandfather. He slapped Xel's back playfully. "Finally found someone who appreciates my talent in the kitchen. How about that?"

Xel smiled a little and took another bite. "Though I didn't come here to discuss cooking."

"Nor did I keep you here for culinary review." He turned to face Xel, crossing his legs, a frown creasing his features. "Tell me…" he leaned toward him, "what do you know about wounds in the Force?"

…

Present

The Cauldron, Rattatak

"I've got the droid."

"About time," Fett said with a hair's tinge of annoyance in his tone, undetectable to all but the sharpest of ears. "Where are you?"

"Heading toward their approximate trajectory. Looks like they're moving for that private hangar."

"They won't be able to leave the planet that way. It only has landspeeders and hovercraft."

"Heavily armed hovercraft, I assume?"

Fett clambered forward, pushing a grate in his way to one side and lunging into the open air. "You assume correctly. Counted at least two rotary cannons mounted on just one of the heavier models when I scouted earlier, and there are two of 'em."

"What kind of armor?"

The hunter drew his EE-3, clearing the hallway below him and dropping down to land in a crouch. "Durasteel. Not certain of the grade. Was painted over with Restor's tribal crest and colors."

"So stealth is our only option of getting them out safely."

"Gonna be tougher than you think," Fi cut in.

"Explain," said Ordo.

"This _chakaar_ has a clutch of Laigreks with him. And not just the run-of-the-mill bugs. The fire-breathing types, with blaster-resistant shells. He sees anyone coming, he'll set 'em loose, and not just on you. _Ner vod_, you've been to Dantooine. You know the damage those things can do. If they get loose in the hanger, right next to the slave pens…"

"We'll be careful, Fi. Won't we, Fett?"

The hunter stayed silent for a moment. "Restor is my concern. Those creatures can't get loose if he doesn't give the order. I need you and that droid to distract the guards while I get close to the Keeper and cut off his communications."

"Don't think that'll be a problem," Ordo said. "This thing's packing more heat than the Imperial Marines."

"Sounds—about right," Xel wheezed.

"How's the kid, Fi?"

"Not a kid," the younger man reiterated somewhat weakly.

"Stubborn as _haran_," Fi replied with a small chuckle. "And still breathing, but getting weaker by the second. Either of you know any antidotes to Verpine-developed toxin?"

"Might've picked something up back when we broke into Tipoca City. _Kaminii gihaal_ were very interested in Verpine biomedical technology and its effects on human DNA during developmental stages."

"Well he's gonna need it, and soon. Haven't gotten a look at his face, 'cause his helmet's in the way, but his grip's getting weaker. Hurry, _ner vod_."

"Don't worry about me," Xel insisted firmly. "Just slot this _shabuir_ and get me back to my ship. I'll handle the rest."

"If you think we're just gonna leave you—"

"I appreciate the concern, Fi, but I know what I'm doing. Got a doctor friend not half an hour's jump from here. She specializes in _osik _like this. And I got a way to slow the spread to tide me over 'til I get there."

"…all right. I'm trusting you here, but if you die because you were too stubborn to accept help, I'm gonna kill you."

Xel chuckled weakly. "Understood."

Fett gave a small snort. The kid was crazy. Verpine toxins were nothing to sneeze at, and if he'd been stabbed as much as ten minutes ago by now, he should've been halfway in the middle of a violent fever. As it was, his voice wasn't shaking in the slightest, and he was entirely coherent…for now. Despite the younger man's obvious gap of experience compared to the other three Mandos, Boba couldn't help but respect his stones. Going into a rancor's den virtually alone, with only a droid for backup, and at a distance at that?

He just hoped his guts would hold out long enough to prevent him from getting killed. He may have been annoyingly self-sacrificial, but Xel Caden was Xander's boy…and he'd be damned if he let him die.

…

"_Xel'ika_…have I told you lately how much that unnerves me?"

He glanced up at Fi. "What?"

"You…being able to heal yourself."

Xel winced. "It's really…just speeding up my body's own processes. I'm not actually reversing any of the damage, thanks to the poison, just slowing it down, really." He pressed his hand harder against the injury, grimacing and holding back the bile that threatened to surface as he stumbled in Fi's grip, the guards behind him jabbing an electrostaff in his direction to keep them moving.

Fi shot the guard a glare. "Still kinda spooky, and I've been around this stuff for _years_."

He tilted his head briefly. "I will grant you that." Xel looked up at Fi. "You're not…gonna tell anyone, are you?"

Fi chuckled softly. "_Xel'ika_, did your _buir_ ever tell you the story of how we took back Mandalore from the Death Watch?"

Xel nodded slowly.

"Well, I was there, and there were times…things he did that made me wonder. And his wife, of course."

Xel chuckled painfully. "That kind of _would_ beg the question."

"We all knew. But she was his family, and our beef—for most of us, anyway—wasn't with the Jedi themselves, but the Republic their order had pledged itself to. Slave army—wasn't something a few of them could stomach." Fi glanced at Xel. "Your ma was one." He shrugged. "One of my brothers was another."

Xel shot Fi a sideways stare. "Wait…you mean—"

"Seemed only fair that if you were sharing, I should do the same. Remember Bardan? The blonde with the green armor?"

He nodded, then shook his head slowly. "You're kidding. That was him?"

Fi nodded. "So, really, I have no room to judge. He was born with those abilities. So were you. Neither of you had a choice in the matter."

"And yet I wouldn't give them up except in the direst situations."

Fi shot him a look. "Really? And why's that?"

"Because…there are people I care about, love. And if I were to sever that connection again…it would hurt them immeasurably."

Another stare. "Again?"

Xel smirked weakly behind his faceplate. "Maybe I'll explain another time. Suffice to say, I'm not the only Force-user in my immediate circle of influence."

Silence reigned over them for a moment.

"Is _that_ gonna be a problem?"

He got the feeling Fi was smirking. "Not unless you tell Fett or Melusar."

Another jab of the electrostaff.

"Now come on, don't want these _chakaare_ to catch onto us."

"Right," Xel whispered. A few labored breaths exited his lungs. "Think I'm gonna hurl."

Fi's shackled hands gripped his arm hard. "Don't, _vod_. You stop here, something tells me Restor won't hesitate to accelerate your demise."

"Ugh…" Xel forced himself upright with Fi's help, "at this point, my body would welcome the oblivion."

"Yep, but then where would that leave me? Alone with these ugly _shabuire_ and up the creek with your uncle and teacher. Not to mention your…other friends."

"And my brother."

Fi nodded slightly. "And your brother." The Mando tensed for a moment and gave Xel a sideways look. "Is he—"

"Yeah. Even more so than I am." He took more heavy breaths. "Trust me, I'll explain everything once we're out of here and I'm not constantly in danger of vomiting."

"Right."

"Fi, what's your status?"

His head turned slightly. "Nearing the hangar, why?"

"We're about to converge on your position, give or take sixty seconds. Need you ready to get Xel out of the line of fire."

"I'm poisoned, not helpless," Xel protested. "Give me a blaster and a decent perch, and I'll wipe the floor with these _chakaare_."

"Of that I have little doubt," Ordo replied, "but all the same that requires you to be out of the primary line of fire."

Xel remained silent, conceding the point.

"Think you can snatch one of their guns if I get a hold of an electrostaff?" Fi asked.

He nodded ever-so-slightly.

"Then get ready. We move the moment _Ord'ika_ gives the order."

Xel gritted his teeth and reached inside, finding a swirling pool of anger stirring under the surface and channeling it with the Force. Almost immediately, he felt the pain of his injury vanish and flesh stop decaying.

_It's not a perfect solution by any means..._

He stood a little straighter, forcing himself to limp along to keep up appearances.

_…but it'll do._

A malevolent smirk twitched at his features as he looked forward to the Kaleesh.

_ Should've killed me when you had the chance._

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Violet eyes stared at Xel for a few moments, the corresponding black-and-silver eyebrows furrowed in a concentrated frown.

"So…let me get this straight." He leaned forward. "You want me to believe that after building enough power to challenge a Dark Lord of the Sith, you suffered enough psychic trauma to necessitate a severing of your connection to the Force…and you have no idea how it happened?" He broke into incredulous laughter before Xel could answer. "You know, when you first came here, I saw the potential for a new kind of student, one I'd never before encountered, but this…" His head shook slowly, a smile on his face. "This is more than I could ever have hoped for."

Xel's head tilted slightly. "What are you talking about?"

He waved him off with an enigmatic smile, reaching down to pour steaming liquid from a pot sitting over the fire. "But not only do you not know how it happened, you also don't know how to regain what you've lost." He gave Xel a sympathetic look. "I do pity you…just a little." His head tilted, eyes looking off to the side with a distant glaze. "But at the same time, to learn to feel the Force again…to feel it…tickle at the edges of your consciousness, like a phantom..." His head shook slowly. "In some ways I envy you."

Xel gave him a disbelieving look.

The older man looked back to him with a small smile. "I understand your confusion, but you must understand my situation as well." He leaned forward again. "I have lived…more years than you would ever guess. My time…my relationship with the Force is so…aged and cemented…that there are some days when I take it for granted." His eyes looked sideways again, glazing over once more. "To reestablish that connection after being parted from it…" he looked back to Xel, "in many ways, it's like experiencing your first kiss all over again." He smirked a little. "Am I wrong?"

The teen shifted uncomfortably, frowning at him. "I just want what I had before."

Fenrim's gaze shifted instantly, sharpening to that of a razor's edge. "But you don't, do you?"

Xel gave him a strange look.

He remained silent for a few seconds, staring at Xel, before taking an audible and sharp intake of breath. "I hope you don't mind—" he took a sip of his tea, "—I took a brief looksee through your memories while you were busy being passed out." He motioned to the nearby bedspread, head shaking slowly. "Your life has been…" he winced, "rough. Though not uncommonly so for Force-users in this day and age," his head shook slowly, "and certainly not for most of my students." Another sip. "You, however, have been changed by that experience in ways that they have not.

"And I am…very interested to see the end results of that process." He stared at Xel for a few seconds, motionless, with intense violet eyes. He blinked after a while and began moving again. "But to do that, we need to get it moving again."

Xel's head tilted. "I thought that was the whole point of the temple."

He nodded. "The temple is part of it, to be sure, but that's barely an entry exam. A…qualifier, if you will." He leaned closer and stared into Xel's eyes. "This race…isn't to be run by the weak."

The Mando stared back, crossing his arms and tilting his head. "My brother said something similar a while back. I'm guessing he got that from you."

Fenrim blinked and returned to his relaxed position. "Indeed."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "You said that I don't really want what I had before. What did that mean?"

He shrugged and took another sip of his tea. "It's simple, really." He looked at Xel dead-on. "You're afraid."

"Afraid?" Xel snorted and shrugged. "Of what?"

Fenrim stared for a moment, eyes and expression intense once more. "Of you."

…

Present

The Cauldron, Rattatak

"Ready?"

"No."

Boba could hear Fi's smirk. "Too bad."

A firm kick knocked a grate cover from its mountings as Fett lunged into the hangar and triggered his jetpack, flying through the air and opening fire with several three-shot bursts. Three guards went down in his first pass before they spotted him and returned fire. Simultaneously, two DC-17 pistols laid down suppressing fire on the densest group of guards, forcing them to cluster up in confusion a split-second before a high-impact concussion grenade split their ranks. Another armored figure jetted from the ground entrance, Fett landing on a horizontal support beam to survey the situation below.

He arched an eyebrow behind his helmet.

_So _that's_ the droid…_

His eyes were fixed on it for barely a split-second before his sights were lined up on the center mass of another Rattataki. Bodies dropped left and right as plasma fire was exchanged by the dozen. A blue-silver body was shoved behind a stack of crates by a red-gray Mando, who kicked one of the guards in the unmentionables and snapped an electrostaff from his grip, smashing the side of its head into the knee of his comrade and jabbing it into the chest of another. Two bursts of orange plasma cut down another guard from behind that stack of crates as Fett nailed another in the leg, then finished him off with a headshot.

Directly below him, a masked figure came into view, toting a large scythe-like weapon with a long shaft comprised of a blaster rifle's barrel. Though it looked unwieldly and entirely unaesthetic, Fett had enough experiences with Kaleesh not to underestimate their jury-rigged weaponry. That weapon was aimed in Ordo's direction, but Fett would have none of it. A grappling hook on his belt was anchored to the beam he was perched atop as he leapt backwards off the ledge into a rapid descent. Halfway to the bottom, he hit the brakes on the winch system and slowed his descent with clinical precision.

The moment the line stopped reeling, his legs catapulted sole-first into Restor's back, laying him out on the ground for barely a split-second before he twirled his body and twisted upright, glaring in Fett's direction. His EE-3 fired just as the scythe smacked the barrel of his gun away and spun with the motion to send the butt of his rifle into the hunter's lower chest. A sharp smack sent the stock of the rifle flying away, and a quick jerk of his upper body brought his neck away from the edge of that scythe. A rapid duck brought him under another swipe, and a lunge forward brought his armored shoulder into the Kaleesh's gut as he tackled him to the ground.

Rolling off rapidly, Fett leveled his blaster against the warlord, but had it wrenched from his grasp by the warlord's taloned feet as his body twirled in a spiral, as one with his scythe. Undeterred, Fett charged forward, grabbing the weapon by the shaft and struggling with Restor for a moment. His helmeted head was brought into Restor's—hard, the _beskar_ cracking the bone mask over his features and temporarily blinding one eye. Exploiting his distraction, Fett pivoted his body and swung the Kaleesh sideways, throwing him briefly off-balance. A sharp pull by the alien nearly yanked the weapon from Fett's grasp, a snap-kick to one of his wrists finishing the job and allowing Restor to angle the rifle-scythe at him. A single, high-powered golden plasma bolt shot from the weapon with a loud, explosive report, dodged by a rapid duck on Fett's part.

Another shot was avoided when Fett dove for his EE-3, and another when he used his rolling movement to leap into a jetpack ascension and return fire with several rapid bursts of fire. Restor twisted and rolled sideways, pulling one of his remaining guards between him and Boba and returning fire while using the dying guard's shoulder as a mount for his rifle. A single shot managed to score a glancing mark on Fett's shoulder plate, but Restor never got the chance for another. Two orange plasma bolts sizzled past his head before he turned around only to get shot in the face. His bony mask saved him—barely, but bore a considerable black score-mark nonetheless as he withdrew toward one of the armored landspeeders.

Fett took aim, but found himself in the middle of another problem when a high-pitched screech came from behind, followed by a massive burst of heat over his right side. He jetpacked away from its source and whirled toward it midair.

_He set the Laigreks loose. Perfect._

His EE-3 let completely loose as the fire-breathing creatures advanced and crawled up the side of the unoccupied speeder he was perched upon. A quick glance to the side revealed Restor taking off toward the furthest speeder, more of a yacht, really. Fett's lips twitched with the hint of a smirk when he saw another armored figure following in his wake, and his eyes trailed back to the massive incoming insects without a twinge of worry. Ordo may have been an arrogant _fierfek_, but there was a good reason for that. Other than himself, there was barely another soul alive he'd rely on to get the job done.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Xel stared at the much older man for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. A moment or two of that later, and he stopped short, grin fading from his features. "Wait…you're serious. Why are you serious?"

Fenrim just kept staring intensely. "Because it's the truth."

Xel stared back. "Why the _shab_ would I be afraid of myself?"

His lips pursed. "You try to put up a strong front, to appear…" his head tilted slightly, "unbreakable." His jaw worked, head nodding a bit. "But we both know that's all it is." He sipped his tea, eyes never leaving Xel. "You told me before that you had no idea what cut your connection to the Force. The answer is simple." He leaned forward. "You did."

Xel snorted in disbelief. "Just how the hell would I do that? I didn't even know it was _possible_ until today."

"Neither did Meetra Surik," Fenrim interrupted.

The boy frowned in focus. "Alen mentioned that name…in a conversation I overheard."

He nodded slowly. "Meetra Surik…was one of the most powerful Jedi who ever lived, and an exile from the Order for one simple reason. She was…unable to stand by and watch as the Republic the Jedi had sworn to defend was destroyed—" he nodded to Xel, "—by your people, ironically enough. In order to stop the Mandalorians, she and her commander lured them to the taboo world of Malachor V…" his eyes twitched with an unknown emotion, "where a massive gravity weapon was used to wipe them out."

Fenrim's head shook slowly. "But not just them. Everyone. Everyone in orbit of that world was pulled in and crushed to death. Mandalorians, Jedi, soldiers. Everyone." His head tilted. "And all that…death, all that pain—" his head shook, "—she couldn't take it. When all was said and done, she could no longer feel the Force. But unlike what she thought after returning to face the Jedi Council, she had not been stripped of her powers by the Order…but by herself. To shield her mind and soul from the backlash of so much…absence, she cut her own Force connection, in a way so unconscious and instinctive she didn't know how it happened until years later."

"And you think it's that way with me?"

He nodded. "That's _exactly_ what I think."

Xel looked off to the side for a while, then back to him. "Did she ever get it back?"

His lips pursed slightly. "Yes. But not by running off into exile." He leaned forward again. "By facing what she'd done, what she had ordered, and conquering the fear that…somehow the past dictated her future. Face up to who you are, what you were…and who you can be. Your power isn't something to be feared. The Force doesn't control you. Guides you, perhaps, but…it isn't some dominating will that overwrites your mind or soul. It's a symbiote."

Xel gave him a curious look.

"You work together, in tandem. Whether that relationship is good or bad is entirely up to you." He finished his tea and stood. "What you had before scared you because your 'control' was entirely lacking. You felt as if you had no choices in the matter, but that's because you attempted to force the issue, to bend the Force to your will, instead of letting nature take its course. You chose the true path of the Sith without even realizing it, and gave up part of your soul in the process. If you want that part back, you need to learn balance before all else. And balance…" he reached back and handed Xel his lightsabers, "begins with acceptance."

Fenrim smiled. "That part you've already started on. Now you need to face your fears."

"And you can help me do that?"

He smiled wider. "I can." He took a deep breath and reached for something. "But first, I think we both need a proper meal." He donned the item, capping his thinning hair with a wide-brimmed hat, heavily creased at the crown. "Shall we get off this ancient pedestal and back to the land of the living?"

Xel's eyebrows furrowed. "What? You mean you actually live down there?"

"Most of the time," he replied with a shrug.

"But…not for the past two months."

"No. I've been waiting for you."

He gave him a strange look. "You wait that long for every new student?"

Fenrim smirked a little. "Only the noteworthy ones. My people are entirely self-sufficient, with or without me. I trained them that way, so I don't have to worry about them if I suddenly disappear for one reason or another." He headed for a nearby doorway leading into a downward-spiraling staircase.

Xel just clipped the sabers to his belt and followed with a huff, shaking his head. "You are an exceptionally strange old man."

Fenrim chuckled warmly as he glanced back at Xel. "I take that as a compliment."

…

Present

Rattatak

_When I get my hands on him, this _shab-_face is gonna die._

Ordo grit his teeth and jabbed a durasteel knife into the joint of one of the yacht's steering fins, using it as an anchor to hoist himself onto the lip of the same and get more solid footing. One of his DC-17 pistols was drawn and used to plug several burning holes in a nearby maintenance hatch's locking mechanism. It slid open with a hiss, permitting him inside and bringing him to the exit of a narrow tunnel.

_Three guards below. All armed, all clustered together._ He smirked. _This is gonna be easy._

Silent as death, he dropped into the middle of them, his right elbow smashing the jaw of one on his way down. A hook from his left was ducked and countered with a rising knee to the gut, and the other man was back-fisted in the side of his head before he could draw. Ordo's knife cleared its sheath and slashed through the bicep of the second man, crippling his gun arm and allowing him to deconstruct both guards piece by piece as they came at him in tandem. Jab to kicking leg of the second, hammer-fist to side of the knee of the third, shin-kick to second. Left cross to nose of third, sever carotid artery, grab incoming punch from second and rupture radial artery in wrist. Sweep the second's legs.

His knife was cleaned and returned to its sheath two seconds after they both hit the ground, legs carrying him through a nearby door and into a long hallway leading to the captain's cabin. Alarms blared in the background as he swept each corner, both pistols drawn. Two shots rang out as he caught movement ahead, taking out one guard, another from behind him following a moment later, his enhanced senses allowing him to pinpoint their locations with barely a glance. His pistols pulsed with warning vibrations, indicating low plasma gas content. His jaw tightened as he lunged for the cockpit, shoving one guard aside with his shoulder and plugging another who almost got the drop on him.

Managing to slip through the next door to the cockpit, he shot the locking mechanism to prevent any of them from following. Whirling around, he aimed both pistols out and swept the darkened room beyond, eyes narrowing as he made for the bridge. A click of static sounded throughout the ship's internal speakers.

"In my experience, a Mandalorian is a lot of things. Hitchhiker isn't one of them."

Ordo snarled behind his helmet. "You hurt a friend of mine. Do you really think there's anywhere in this galaxy you can hide where we won't find you?"

Restor chuckled over the loudspeaker as loud metallic clicks filled the room. "Probably not. Which is why I brought a contingency on board. Or, rather, four of them."

Ordo's pistols faced in two separate directions as four electrostaves lit up at once, the red eyes and chestpieces of four IG-100 MagnaGuards approaching from opposite corners of the room. His teeth gritted together.

"A disgraced member of my race used these machines as his personal bodyguards—I'm sure you're familiar with his work. After just two weeks of ownership, I must admit…I see the appeal. Kill him!"

Ordo struck first, firing twice at the closest one and managing to damage its chest reactor as the other three lunged forward. The Mando dive-rolled past two horizontal swipes, a backhanded strike skidding off the front of his chestplate and sending a small current through his torso. Ordo countered by slamming it in the side of the knee with his _beskar_ shin-guard, shattering the hydraulics inside and causing fluid to spill on the floor. Brown eyes narrowing, an idea occurred to the former Null ARC, and he stomped on the prone droid's head with his left boot while firing sparse shots at the rest to draw them closer.

_Come on, you ugly _fierfeks_._

Finally, two got within striking range, moving in opposite directions to attack in a pincer maneuver. Ordo stomped on the foot of the dead droid, sending its shattered leg into his hand. He swung it in a wide arc, sending the leaking hydraulic fluid dousing two of them. It was ignited a moment later by two well-placed shots, causing the droids to thrash and panic with the overheat to their systems. Ordo snatched up the fallen MagnaGuard's electrostaff and lunged at one of the flaming automatons, thrusting it through its chest reactor, then yanking it free and throwing it at the other like a javelin. It lanced through the chestpiece of the second at a perfect angle for piercing.

Ordo's eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the room for the fourth guard, gurgling as a metal pole pressed against his neck and his body was hoisted off the ground. Both hands wrapped around the pole, managing to relieve some of the pressure on his larynx and giving him leverage to coil his legs further up in the air. A furious yell proceeded from his throat as he snapped his legs forward and down hard, his entire weight leveled behind a forward thrash that sent the droid's body flipping onto the ground back-first. It immediately twisted and swung for him, only a quick backward leap getting him out of danger. Disarmed of his pistols, Ordo reached to the side and yanked the end of a loose cable from a nearby electrical panel and waited, bouncing from one foot to the other.

The droid eyed him warily, its damaged reactor sputtering and sparking, but still intact. A twitch to its left was a feint Ordo predicted and adjusted for, ducking and rolling under its counter-strike and wrapping the cable around the shaft of its staff. He lunged past it in a crouch, yanking the staff's head out of its usual path, but feeling his feet lift off the ground when it swept the weapon back hard. His armored back slammed against the nearby wall, head snapping to the side to dodge a thrust of the staff and counter with two kicks to its arm and midsection that removed the staff and drove it back barely a step. An empty-handed blow slammed into his lower chest, cracking a few ribs for sure and prompting him to grab the droid by its head and head-butt it solidly, caving in its front.

It kept moving, as he expected. Until that reactor was destroyed, it would keep fighting. His hands whirled about as the MagnaGuard shoved him back into the wall and wrapped both its hands around his throat. Finally, his fingers brushed against the forgotten cable, a few sparks of electricity coming from its end. Eyes widening as black spots filled his vision, he grabbed it firmly and moved his other hand to another metal object. The droid stared into his faceplate for several seconds before he heard its grating, metallic voice.

"Your flesh…weak."

"Depends," he grunted in reply, "on how you define weakness."

He yelled as his right hand drove the blade of his knife into the reactor core in its chest, the jury-rigged combination sending high voltage through its internal systems through the durasteel blade. Its head smoked and whirred for several seconds as its grip fell limp. A loud pop came from the head module, and it fell over backward a moment later. Ordo breathed heavily for a few seconds, managing to push himself upright and dust himself off as he inspected himself for injuries. He hissed when his touch alighted on his lower ribs.

_Besany is gonna _kill_ me._

Grunting the pain away, Ordo retrieved his pistols and made for the cockpit, but found it irreversibly sealed. He put a finger to his helmet.

"Fi, where are we now?"

"About half a klick outside the Cauldron. I managed to get Xel to higher ground, kept him out of the line of fire. You get Restor yet?"

"No. He tied me up fighting MagnaGuards and fried the door controls to the cockpit. I can't rewire it."

"_Shab_…so what now?"

Ordo's lips pursed as he made for a nearby viewport. "That depends."

"On what?"

He smirked behind his helmet. "What's the farthest shot you've ever made?"

…

Fi Skirata grinned as his eyes flashed with excitement behind his faceplate, hands flying at lightspeed to assemble his DC-17M sniper mode, a projectile cartridge entering its side port as he sprinted for a new set of cover, about twelve floors above the ground. He looked over his shoulder as he pulled his helmet off, throwing a weak Xel a grin.

"Watch how the pros do it."

Xel threw him a thumbs-up moments before sluggishly hefting a pilfered blaster rifle and gunning down another security droid. Fi leaned over the sights of his rifle, its holographic scope alighting over the fleeing yacht as he took several deep breaths. He zoomed in more, focusing on the command bridge of the relatively slow-moving armored vehicle. His breathing remained slow and even, grip perfectly steady as he tracked his target.

"Hey Fett," Fi said quietly into his comlink. "Hope you don't mind…but I got the _chakaar_ in my sights. Permission to take the shot?"

A few moments of silence and static as Fi felt more than heard a new presence appear behind him.

"Do it," replied the grating voice.

Fi pressed his cheek against the rifle, taking and releasing another slow breath as he lined up the sights, exhaling over the course of five full seconds as his right index slowly squeezed around the trigger.

_Ka-chak!_

Alien blood exploded in his scope as the supersonic round pierced glass and a ruptured bone mask. Fi blinked once, twice, then slowly climbed to a crouch, slinging his rifle and donning his helmet again. He tapped its side.

"_Ord'ika_…target down."

"Roger that. Could use an extract."

Fi half-carried Xel back toward the hangar, Fett covering their backs even as he gave Xel a long look. "On our way, _vod_."

…

30 minutes later

"Roly, old chap! Good to finally meet ya."

An aging, light brown-haired man gave Fi a strange look, which changed to recognition once he popped his helmet off.

"You—you're one of Darman's brothers, aren't you?"

Fi glanced at Ordo with a grin. "Well, give the man a prize. Here to bust you outta this nasty joint."

Melusar gave him a grateful nod as he and dozens of other captured slaves stepped out of their cells. "Much appreciated." He glanced over at a fully-armored Boba Fett, who was covering the distant exit. "Though I'm guessing he isn't here for my gratitude."

"Relax," Ordo cut in, "he already got his quarry." He glanced back at Fett. "Just doesn't like leaving any loose ends."

Melusar snorted. "Something he has in common with the Empire then."

"Speaking of," a relatively weak voice said from the side, "may I have a moment with him, alone?"

Melusar turned and faced the new Mando, blue and silver-armored, with various other additions. "And you are?"

He straightened up with some effort. "The man who was hired to spring you." He nodded to Ordo and Fi, who nodded back and went off to join Fett in his vigil.

"Hired? By whom?"

He leaned in close and lowered his voice. "By the Alliance."

Melusar's eyes widened and expression shifted in mistrust.

"Now, listen carefully, because I don't want any misunderstandings. I was technically sent here for _everyone_ in this place, everyone who was captured when pirates raided that convoy. Only after meeting Ordo and Fi did I realize exactly why they were so interested."

"Me," he concluded.

Xel nodded in reply. "Now, they gave me no orders apart from the breakout. I've already done that, ensured your escape, so I'm getting paid either way. But my advice? If they make you an offer…" he put a hand on Melusar's shoulder, "take it."

He sneered a bit. "I didn't spend most of my career investing in the Empire only to see it fall at the hands of upstart anarchists." His chest puffed out. "The Empire may have its faults, but they at least represent order. All this…'Alliance' represents is chaos."

Xel snorted. "After working for them consistently for a brief period, I can't say I particularly disagree with you." He leaned in closer. "But I can say that they'll give you a much fairer shot than the empire that hung you out to dry."

Melusar stared at him for several seconds, face impassive.

Xel took a step back and shrugged. "Just think about it." He pitched over to one side, leaning heavily against a nearby wall and groaning.

"You all right?"

"Yeah, just—"

Xel's sentence cut off abruptly as he swayed and collapsed, nearly hitting the ground except for Melusar's quick save. The others were at his side in seconds, Fett actually picking him up off the ground and slinging his right arm over his shoulders, supporting him with his left while his right aimed his blaster one-handed.

"We're leaving," Fett said firmly. "Now."

"Fi," Ordo said, "take up the rear. I've got the front. Melusar, Fett, you stay in the center."

The armored hunter and former Imperial officer nodded and complied, the former linking his helmet comlink to Xel's, and Xel's alone.

"You can hear me, yes?"

The younger man nodded weakly.

A moment of movement and silence passed. "I know what you are."

Tension filled Xel's frame as he weakly looked up at Fett.

"I had an experience with Verpine-designed toxins some years past. Strong man, peak physical shape, not unlike yourself. He lasted barely fifteen minutes." He glanced down at Xel's t-visor. "And yet, you managed to keep running and fighting for nearly an hour after not only being stabbed, but poisoned with the same." He looked back up, EE-3 held precisely as they made for one of the docks. "Now, either that means that Restor got a diluted version, or a toxin that wasn't the genuine article—or you had some way to slow down the poisoning process.

"Was no way you could've taken anything in the last hour. You haven't bothered to pop your helmet off, and no one saw you with any needles. Which means that whatever 'resistance' you had to the toxin was…internal in nature."

"Maybe I was…just hardier than your friend."

"He wasn't a friend," Fett said flatly. "He was my target. But I think you're bluffing. I think you're trying to mislead me—quite unsuccessfully, I might add." He looked back down at Xel. "You're a Force-user."

Xel took a quick draw of breath.

Fett let the words hang in the air for a moment. "Which is none of my concern." He turned back forward. "I may not trust any who blindly follow some mystic Force, but that isn't you. That isn't the man Xander Caden raised."

Xel blinked up at him uncertainly.

"I had my suspicions about him as well, but as far as I was concerned, it didn't matter. His skills—whatever those may have been—were used in the service of justice." He nodded at the crowd of freed slaves following them out. "As were yours here, today. I can ask for no more."

Ten seconds passed before Xel erupted into weak laughter that petered out into a fit of coughs. Fett slung his rifle and used both hands to steady him.

"Guess _I_ owe _you_ a drink now," Xel said.

Fett's head cocked slightly, shoulders shrugging. "Your father saved my life once, so on the contrary." He glanced at Xel. "Consider us even."

…

5 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal, Rattatak

"Sure you'll be okay getting to your friend?"

Xel smiled at Ordo. "I'll be fine. Got my loyal copilot to help if anything goes wrong—" he grimaced and pitched over as his stomach turned, "—which it probably will."

Ne'tra Tor hoisted him off the ground, carrying him onto the ship.

"Let us know you're okay, all right?" Fi asked.

"Will do," he replied with a thumbs-up, the ramp closing moments later as he was laid on a bed in the makeshift medical bay. "Ugh…"

The sudden movement of the ship sent his stomach turning in several directions, the jump to hyperspace happening what felt like moments later, everything starting to fog and blend together as he teetered on the edge of unconsciousness.

"Stay with me, _vod_. Stay awake."

Xel blinked hard, staring up into his copilot's t-visor. "Can't…so tired."

"Xel, your brother will never forgive me if I let you go down like this. Neither will Clydian or his sister, for that matter."

He erupted into hysterical chuckles, bright colors and hazy memories flashing in the edges of his vision. "That much is true." A sharp, painful breath. "Oh…Tor…I don't…I can't…have to...meditate." A sharp exhale as he squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the sharp onset of a furious fever. "Just get me to Bakura."

"Roger that, sir. Just stay with me."

…

A flowing mane of dirty blonde hair flapped in the air as the attached body rushed past, shoving aside pedestrians and spacers in a mad dash for an incoming ship. The moment it touched down, she sprinted up the ramp, spotting a large black droid carrying the black-clad body of an extremely pale young man.

"How long?" Kael asked as they moved for a nearby landspeeder manned by her brother.

"He's been under for at least twenty-five minutes, almost the duration of the hyperspace trip here."

She put the back of her hand against his forehead. "The fever's…bad, but not as much as it could be." She waved at Clyde, who nodded to her. "We need to get him to our place, now."

Tor laid Xel's body flat along the couch-like backseat, where Kael held his head in her lap. "I need to—"

"Go," she interrupted. "Take care of the ship, then come find us after. We can handle him from here. Go!"

The droid nodded and sprinted off, Clyde gunning the engines of the speeder and shooting them off at an incredibly dangerous speed. Once she was satisfied that they were moving too fast for anyone to notice, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, channeling the Force into her right hand. Her palm came down first, then the rest of her fingers, all of them resting on his forehead and diverting massive amounts of Force energy into his body. Within seconds, his sweating and temperature reduced, but not by much. Just enough to tide him over until they could get home.

"Xel," she said softly, the scream of the passing air drowning her voice out as she stroked his black hair. "What have you done?"

* * *

AN: Wow, so three weeks. It's safe to say that I am very disappointed in myself, especially where I left all of you last time. *sigh* Anyways, the Mando team-up arc is finally over. The next one will be set mostly in the past, because there's a lot I want to cover in Xel's flashbacks at once and don't want to drag it out over more chapters than I need to. Besides, there isn't that much left to happen in the present before the climax, I don't think, so I really just want to move things along.

At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the entire arc. Hope I did all of the intervening characters justice, and that you're looking forward to more.

As always, please review at your leisure and pass the word on to your friends.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake

P.S.: Oh, one thing I totally forgot. I had the hardest time trying to come up with dialogue and expressions for Fenrim Uln. Couldn't pin down how I wanted his personality to be. And then I decided to get caught up with _The Blacklist_, and I had my answer. Meet what essentially amounts to a Force-using Raymond "Red" Reddington.


	48. The Divide

D'aarmont, Bakura

3 years, 7 months ABY

"He's crashing!"

Clyde Dansen scowled at the younger man lying on the makeshift hospital bed. "Not for long, he isn't." His hands were held up and eyes closed as he focused hard, a few seconds passing before crackles of gold electricity lanced from one finger to the next, increasing in volume and frequency until they engulfed every inch of his hands. He glanced at Kael. "Clear."

She pulled back for a few seconds, breathing heavy, as her brother lowered his hands to Xel's convulsing body, palms pressing against his torso. A flare of electricity jolted the Mandalorian's body, but produced no change to his heart rate. Clyde tilted his head in frustration and charged up again.

"Clear!"

Another jolt, still no response.

Clyde scowled hard and growled. "You bloody kriffing prat," he hissed. "Stop your lummoxing and breathe!"

His hands sparked with golden lightning, which, a moment later, flared blue and more powerful, much to Kael's alarm. Regardless, she couldn't stop him before he slammed both lit palms into Caden's chest. As it turned out, the sudden burst of power was for the best, since despite the slight curling of smoke off his body and what was almost certainly some new electrical burns, he breathed in deeply, his heart rate returning and stabilizing after a few seconds.

Clyde breathed hard for a few moments, leaning over the bed and letting his shoulders heave as he exchanged a look with his sister. "All yours, sis." He straightened up, smoothing out his clothes and moving to Xel's limp, unconscious head. "And you—" he wagged a finger at Xel's face, "—stop scaring us like that." Another sigh and slump into a nearby chair.

Kael's talented hands moved over his body with practiced ease, peeling away pieces of his ruptured bodysuit and exposing the green-tinged injury in his abdomen. She grimaced at the sight of it, but steeled herself as a hypostim containing an immuno-booster serum was pressed into the skin around it. She grabbed a nearby bacta sprayer as the substance flowed into his bloodstream, and applied a liberal coating to the wound. After about a minute of manually taking his pulse and looking periodically at their pilfered EKG, Kael exhaled hard and took a moment to relax.

"His vitals are stabilizing," she said, pulling off her gloves and tossing them into a nearby incinerator as she slumped into a chair. Her hands weaved through her hair as she gripped Xel's limp hand firmly. "Damn it, Xel…I can't take this."

Clyde stood and put a hand on his sister's shoulder, frowning down at the unconscious Mando. A small smirk rose to his features moments later. "Amazing how time changes things, isn't it?"

Kael managed a small laugh. "I remember the first time you two sparred."

"Pretty sure _everyone_ remembers that." His head shook slowly. "Probably the first time in years that I'd actually been humbled."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

5 months ABY

"Come on, _vod_, take 'im out!"

Xel grinned and laughed, clapping as Alen attempted—and failed—to wrestle the much taller Pelem Tercer to the ground. His back hit the ground hard as the wind was knocked out of him, the smaller Jedi attempting to crawl away and yelping in alarm when Pelem picked him up by the legs and swung him in several circles, eventually throwing him outside the dueling ring entirely, his brown-robed body flying through the air. A quick Force Grip by Kael was enough to stop his rapidly moving body and lower him safely to the ground as they all laughed.

Alen, however, was red-faced and frustrated, and charged back into the ring with a furious yell, faking Pelem out and managing to get a grip around his left calf with a decent amount of leverage. A startled "whoa" drifted through the spectators as the Jedi managed to off-balance the engineer, a spiraling drop-kick to his chest managing to plant him on the ground. Alen flipped over a swipe at his legs, falling onto Pelem's other arm and pinning it to the ground as he rolled into a leg-grip of said arm, pulling and twisting it in the wrong direction. Both fighters struggled for a few seconds as the crowd cheered them on, Alen getting more leverage and pulling harder.

Another moment or two passed before Pelem tapped out, much to everyone's surprise and to Xel's delight. He clapped his grinning brother on the arm and looped one of his around his shoulders, grinning as he waved his empty hand at Alen.

"That's my _vod_! I taught him that!"

A raucous laugh drifted through almost the entire crowd. Almost.

A snort answered him from one figure in the audience. "Big whoop."

Kael frowned as Xel and everyone else turned toward the source.

Clyde stared back at the Mando smugly, arms crossed. "You could say you'd taught him how to throw Force Lightning as well, and we'd never know the truth, now would we?"

Xel arched an eyebrow, taking his arm from around Alen's shoulders and stepping toward Clyde. "Is that a challenge?"

"Clyde—" Kael warned.

"No," Xel interrupted, "it's perfectly fine." He shrugged. "I'm a bit disappointed at myself, to be honest." He grinned. "Haven't had a proper fight in a long time."

Clyde smirked malevolently and stepped into the ring. "So what do you say?" He swung his head in circles. "Are you man enough to face your better?"

Xel nodded slowly and sauntered into the ring. "That depends." He grinned nastily. "Are you sure you're wearing the right pants?"

Clyde's eyes widened as a murmur drifted through the crowd, his face going red with anger as his fists clenched at his sides. "Taunt me all you want," he hissed as they paced around each other. "You're nothing but a thug in fancy armor with a few Force tricks." He jabbed a thumb into his chest. "I'm a knight, and that puts me in a different class altogether."

"Would you do me a favor?" Xel asked gently.

"Hm?"

The Mando came to a stop and narrowed his eyes, squaring off with the older teen. "Shut up and fight."

He complied, and instantly, they were going at each other with a flurry of light, testing blows aimed at various critical locations. Xel kept his distance, having previously seen enough of Clyde's fighting style to know to have a solid defense with no gaps. He backed up step by step, planting his stance after about ten deflects and lunging back hard with a palm-heel to Clyde's chest. The sheer force behind the blow knocked him off his feet, though he quickly recovered, surprise written over his features. The crowd's murmuring came to a near-stop as they all had the same shocked reaction, Xel's entire focus on his opponent as he set his stance.

Clyde snarled and charged back in, feinting high, then twisting into a trip-kick that landed and planted Xel on his back. The older Knight leapt up and tried to plant a double knee-drop on his chest, finding his face plastered into the mud instead when Xel rolled to the side and swiped at his curled legs on the way up. He threw a roundhouse kick at Clyde's head as he rose to a crouch, the older teen grabbing his leg and sweeping out his other one as their sparring quickly turned into a ground-fighting match. Blow after blow rained down on Xel's guard like the drops now falling from the sky, causing massive bruising in his forearms and prompting him to pop his hips up between blows.

Clyde was thrown off-balance and tossed off entirely by Xel, who caught his next strike and used the limb as leverage to throw him into the mud. They both scrambled to their feet, Xel feeling his feet slide back when Clyde charged into his torso shoulder-first, trying to tackle him to the ground again. Xel grabbed his midsection from above in response, planting his back foot even further back as the mud slid with them, then using his front leg to direct a shin-kick into Clyde's right thigh. That leg just about collapsed as he yelled in pain, Xel using his sudden lack of balance to throw him sideways.

Dansen rolled with the impact and scrambled to his feet, planting a solid thrust-kick on Xel's chest when he charged in to keep his momentum. The wind rushed from Xel's lungs in a whoosh as he choked and gasped for air, stumbling back a few steps. Clyde didn't let up for a second, leveling blow after blow from one angle after the next, Caden trying and failing to keep his guard up. When his guard was batted aside with a strong right hook, Clyde kept his momentum going with a 360 roundhouse that slammed into Xel's left ribs, two of them shattering on impact.

The Mandalorian gasped in agony as his breath left him once again, the crowd falling utterly silent as Clyde laid into him with furious blows. Face, abdomen, leg, shoulder. Everything became covered in bruises and hairline fractures as the older teen scowled and raged at him, his devastating assault finished with a leaping twist-kick to Xel's sternum that put him on the ground. The Mando hit the mud wheezing and gasping for breath, his body writhing weakly in agony as Clyde stalked toward him.

"Clyde, he's had enough!"

Dansen glanced at his sister, his snarl fading slightly as he turned back to Xel, then started for the edge of the ring, shocked silence greeting him.

"Oi."

The rough, pained call stopped Clyde in his tracks as he looked over his shoulder to see Xel shakily climbing to his feet.

The Mando spat bloody saliva, a gash over his right eyebrow leaking and being rinsed by the now-downpouring rain. He actually smiled at Clyde. "Is that it?" he taunted, chuckling as the older teen's face burned with rage. He held his arms out to his sides invitingly, voice hardening with force. "Is that all you've got?"

Clyde's face and body twitched with the force of his anger as he roared and charged back in, Xel managing to redirect the first two shots, then succumbing to a barrage of lightning-fast strikes that swelled his left jaw and right eye shut, leaving him on the ground once more. He was quicker to recover this time, managing a weak crouch as Clyde stood some six feet away.

"Stay down," Clyde growled.

Xel didn't listen, though his bond with Alen indicated that the Jedi felt the same way.

Dansen planted a thrust-kick on his chest, catapulting him back into the mud. "Down!" he roared.

Xel coughed and spat once more, rising to one knee and staring up at Clyde with his one good eye. He grinned at him toothily.

"Clyde, no!" both Alen and Kael screamed in tandem.

The older student didn't listen, blinded as he was, and turned his hips with a rage-driven haymaker aimed at Xel's jaw. A loud crack split the air as the water between his fist and a point of contact was rapidly ejected. His silver eyes widened and jaw dropped when his red-hazed vision started to clear, and he stared down into the fiery blue eye of his opponent, his thrown fist clenched in the bare left hand of Xel Caden. Before he could even think to follow up, his outstretched arm was yanked and used as an anchor for the Mando to rise in the space of a split-second—his forehead slamming into and breaking Clyde's nose with an ear-splitting crack.

Blood spattered his upper lip and the ground as he stumbled back, completely disoriented, and soon unable to breathe due to his arm being yanked again, adding more force into an uppercut to his solar plexus that actually lifted him off the ground. Xel released his hand and growled as he leapt back two steps and dashed toward him, right arm outstretched as he lunged past. The bony part of his forearm impacted the space just between his eyebrows, the force of the impact taking him off his feet and planting him back-first on the ground, water and mud sent flying from underneath him.

Clyde coughed hard and sluggishly pushed himself upright, turning toward a glaring Xel and roaring as his rage dulled the pain, spurring himself into a furious charge. In response, Xel waited until the last second and flipped right over his head, grabbing his outstretched arm and using it to spin his body completely backwards. Clyde once again planted back-first on the ground, even harder this time, his force combined with Xel's, as it were, the wind completely knocked out of him. Caden never gave him a chance to recover.

Blow after blow impacted his face and jaw as Xel rained down punches with abandon, turning his starkly handsome features into a mess of cuts, bruises, and swollen flesh within seconds. He stopped alternating punches after a while and grabbed Clyde's collar, his right fist coming down again and again until he could feel the older boy about to black out. And then he stopped, chest heaving with exertion and anger, his knuckles bloodied and split. A long gulp passed through his throat as he pushed off and climbed to his feet, his peripheral vision catching Kael, Alen, and the rest staring at him in open shock.

Xel turned his gaze toward the gray sky, mouth open and eyes closed as he let the rain wash away his anger and the blood on his punished body. Another couple of heavy breaths, and he turned back down to Clyde, who looked nearly unrecognizable and damn near unconscious. The moment he turned to exit the ring, an alarm in the Force hit him like a meteor, and he leapt forward into a roll as a powerful _snap-hiss_ split the air with a sound much like Ezra's lightsaber.

He felt the rush of heat barely graze over his back as he fell and hit the ground, twirling toward the source on the way up and drawing his own lightsaber in a fluid motion as he caught sight of the silver blade that had nearly taken his head off. Clyde's face was a mask of twisted rage, made even more frightening by the deformity of his features caused by Xel's beatdown. He saw the older student twitch with the telltale signs of an attack, a bunch of other students about to step in, and braced himself.

_Crack!_

A lance of golden lightning split the space between them with a crack of thunder, Clyde coming to an abrupt halt as his silver eyes went wide and face paled, head turning toward the source to see the harshly stoic face of their newly arrived teacher glaring at them.

"M-Master Fenrim, we—"

He silenced him with one hand. "That. Is. Enough."

Clyde gulped and turned back to Xel, who had never taken his one good eye off him, steam curling off their blades from the raindrops vaporized on contact. He thumbed his saber off and turned away. "Yes, Master."

The older teen stalked from the ring with the distinct air of a kicked dog, and Xel slowly lowered his blade as a ragged, relieved breath left his lungs. His left hand pressed against his shattered ribs as Alen and Pelem rushed to his side, Kael storming off with an expression that meant death for her big brother, and Ytris just frowning at the whole ordeal. Pelem picked him up outright when his legs gave out, Alen shouting at him desperately.

"Oi," he interrupted, clipping his lightsaber to his belt. "Bit of a migraine here."

Alen huffed and gripped his hand tightly. "I really hope that teaches you not to pick fights you can't win."

Xel grinned despite himself. "Really? 'Cause from where I was standing, I kicked his _shebs_. Remember, _vod_, it ain't the first person to hit the ground that loses, it's the last."

Alen sighed hard and waved Pelem toward his hut. "Let's just get him out of the rain."

Xel's head cocked to one side as he was laid on a cot and stripped of his soaked outer jacket. "Hey, _vod_…what was that thing Fenrim did? With the golden lightning?"

The Jedi glanced at him as he prepared a painkiller stim and Ytris entered the room. "It's called Electric Judgment. A Jedi technique, actually, developed not long before the Clone Wars."

"Huh…yeah, I think I remember now. Heard about that through one of the holocrons a while back."

Ytris placed his furry hands over Xel's shattered ribs, the Mando hissing as they miraculously began to knit back together.

"So," Xel gasped painfully, "when do I get to learn that? Sounds useful."

"Well, hold your Dewbacks," Alen replied. "It's not fatal, far as I know, and nowhere near as damaging as the actual thing."

Xel gave his brother a look. "My dear brother, do you think so little of me? I know _plenty _of ways to kill people, but not nearly enough to take 'em down gently." He chuckled. "Hell, I don't even have a stun function on my pistols."

Alen snorted and gripped his hand as Ytris kept working on his ribs. "Patience, Xel. We've got plenty of time to deal with all that." He frowned. "And Clyde. Honestly, I don't understand his issue. I've never seen him like that before, just so…blinded by rage. I mean, yeah, he can black out like you sometimes, but that was…" he huffed in disbelief, "that was _horrifying_." His lips pursed as he looked down at Xel. "I should've stepped in."

Xel's head shook. "You've never had to fight my battles for me, and I don't intend to make you start now." He leaned back as Ytris' claws gently scratched over his swollen eye. "Whatever Clyde's issue with me, I need to settle it myself. He'll never learn to respect me otherwise."

Alen sighed hard. "Hate to admit it, but you're probably right. I just…"

"I know." Xel smiled. "You wouldn't be a good big brother if you didn't worry about me."

The Jedi managed a chuckle as Xel's busted eye finally opened.

"Just promise me you won't tell Maila about this. She'll freak out."

The breath caught in Alen's throat for a few moments before his mouth clicked shut and he just nodded.

Xel let out a long breath and leaned back again. Maila had taken her leave just a day after he and Fenrim had returned from the temple, finally reassured that her lover was going to be okay and able to return to Mandalore without worry. He missed her more than he'd have liked to admit, felt something distinctly and…deliciously painful when she'd boarded Teras' ship and left Athiss, smiling and waving to him. He smiled at the memory of her face…every memory of her face, and closed his eyes as the room fell silent save for the fire in the hearth and the Caamasi's gentle ministrations.

He'd have to take the _Kandosii'tal_ to see her sometime soon…but not until he laid this Clyde situation to rest. Permanently.

…

Present

Bakura

"How's he doing?"

Kael got up, wiping her sweat-stained forehead and putting the back of her hand to Xel's. "Still running a fever. Calmer now, and his heart rate's steady, but I don't like how pale he is."

Clyde rose from his seat and braced his hands on either side of Xel's head. "Bloody idiot. What'd he do to get himself into trouble _this_ time?"

"Tangled with a Kaleesh warlord," a metallic voice said from the door.

Clyde straightened up and smiled a little. "Tor, always a pleasure."

The droid shook his hand. "Likewise, Clydian."

He winced and groaned softly. "Tor, you know I _hate_ that name."

"Yes," he answered in a deadpan, though Clyde got the distinct feeling he was being mocked.

The twenty-one-year-old sighed and grinned as he shook his head and rejoined Kael at Xel's side. "Good news is, he's not dead. Bad news, he hasn't woken up yet, which means that his body isn't repaired enough for consciousness."

Kael's head shook slowly. "He's lucky he put himself into a healing trance when he did. If he hadn't…" she shuddered, "I don't even want to think about it."

Clyde put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "He'll make it, Kae. He's the most stubborn son of a gundark we've ever met." He nodded firmly. "He'll make it."

She breathed out heavily and nodded, hands shaking as she gripped Clyde's for support.

Her brother tightened his grip around her smaller hand, his own heart hammering with worry. _You hear me, ya mad bastard? You better make it, or I'll never forgive you._

…

3 years ago

Athiss

The moment his brother and healer weren't looking, Xel slipped out, unwilling or unable to wait any longer. As it turned out, all he had to do was follow the feminine screams.

"—just can't believe you! I mean, how long have we _been_ here?! How long has _he_?! All this time, and you're still at his throat, and I _still_ can't understand why!"

Xel winced and peeked around a corner to see Kael glaring and waving her arms at her much taller brother. Shab_…I've never actually been scared of a girl before._ He moved back to glance around the corner, keeping just out of sight but within earshot.

"You know, at first, I thought it was some kind of male dominance thing, or you being an overprotective older brother, but I've seen both of those before, and this is _not_ that!" She jabbed a finger into his chest. "So what is it, _Clydian_? What am I missing here?"

He stared at her for a few moments before arching an eyebrow. "Are you done?"

She glared at him furiously and clenched her jaw. "Hell no I'm not." Her eyes burned with angry tears. "Do you have any idea what this is doing to me?"

Clyde tensed, his expression pinched.

"Your blind feud is clouding your judgment in ways I haven't seen since Karlaius."

The brother's face went stony. "You said you'd never bring that up again."

Kael threw her hands up. "Well maybe I was wrong to. Never talking about it means we never resolve it." She snorted a humorless laugh. "But maybe that's the way you like it. So it can all linger and stew and keep feeding your anger. Because you _like_ your anger. You like what it does to you." Tears streamed down her face, her voice breaking. "But you don't think about what it does to me."

Clyde's expression softened for the first time, and he reached out to her. "Kae—"

She swiped her hands up. "Don't." She gulped, staring up at him with reddened eyes. "I don't know who you are anymore." Her head shook slowly. "Because the brother _I_ know doesn't scare me."

Clyde just stared after her retreating form with a broken expression, the first display of non-hostile emotion Xel had ever seen. His eyes shut, and he muttered a string of Huttese curses as he turned away—in Xel's direction. Deciding for the direct method, he waited until Clyde walked right past him, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms.

"Who's Karlaius?"

Clyde froze in place, clearly wanting to jump, but suppressing the urge to save face. He slowly turned toward Xel, glare returning in full. "It's not polite to eavesdrop, you know."

Xel snorted. "Not exactly eavesdropping if I can hear you from half a mile away." He pushed off the wall and strode toward him, hands in his jacket pockets. "Screaming at the top of your lungs, as you were."

Clyde stared at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know the answers you refuse to give your sister. I want to know why you hate me so much."

He crossed his arms. "I don't."

Xel arched a disbelieving eyebrow. "You don't?"

"I just don't trust you."

The Mando started pacing around him. "I still don't understand why."

Clyde smirked smugly. "Tell me, Mandalorian. Have my sister or Fenrim explained my…special ability to you?"'

"Didn't know you _had_ one."

He snorted. "Funny. My power, one that comes quite naturally to me, is to look into the minds of others—" he tapped his temple, "—and see their worst moments. The memories that they associate with the worst kinds of guilt. If I so desire, I can even force them to _relive_ those moments—up here." He tapped his forehead, stopping his pacing and facing Xel fully. "Well, I've seen yours, and I must say…I'm not impressed."

Xel winced, regret showing in his features. "I've done things…that I'm not proud of."

"I should hope you aren't," Clyde snapped.

"But I'm moving past that. I've changed since then."

He smirked nastily and snorted. "People don't change. Not really." He got up in Xel's face. "And neither can you."

Xel turned his face away, looking off to the side.

"Deep down, in your bones, you will never be anything but a Mandalorian _thug_."

A snarl twitched his lips as his anger rose.

"Uncaring, unfeeling, and unsympathetic to anyone but himself."

Xel's right hand curled into a fist as red started to cloud his vision.

"Always trying to take what isn't his."

He was a split-second away from clocking Clyde and throwing caution to the wind when his mind processed his last words carefully. His blue eyes met Clyde's silver ones, and his head cocked slightly as his gaze narrowed. "What isn't mine?"

Clyde's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and he took a step back.

Xel advanced in response, their roles reversed. "What exactly am I trying to take from you?"

His jaw clenched, mouth closed as he refused to reply.

Xel's blue eyes narrowed, his mind opening to the Force as Clyde crossed his arms defensively. The Mando's features shifted in realization a few moments later, suspicion filling Dansen's features as they stared at each other.

"By the _Manda_," Xel breathed, slowly pointing at Clyde. "You're _jealous_."

Alarm flashed through Clyde's eyes despite every effort to hide it. "Now what do you have that I could possibly be jealous of?"

Xel smirked confidently and approached him. "Fenrim."

Clyde's face paled visibly.

He pointed at Clyde. "You were his star pupil for _years_. Constantly taught and tutored by him, the golden child, if you will."

Clyde sneered and turned away. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"And then I arrive," Xel added, marching after him, "and he leaves, sequestering himself for two solid months, only to come back when I've gone to see him. And then he's with me, training me, teaching me, only to leave _you_ alone to take care of yourself."

Clyde froze, both hands clenched into fists as he glared over his shoulder.

"You think he's trying to replace you…with me." Xel took a step closer. "And that's terrifying…" his features softened, "because he's like a father to you."

The older youth stared at him for a few moments, lips parted as his expression went slack. And then he tensed up again, resuming his glare.

Xel snorted and smirked. "You think you're the only one who can pick up on memories? Or emotions? I may not understand everything there is to know about the Force, but I know people. More importantly, I know family." He placed a hand on Clyde's shoulder. "And you have nothing to worry about with yours." He shrugged. "Not from me."

Clyde shrugged his hand off and snorted, storming off without a word.

Xel just sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. _If that's what I was like before Hypori…I don't blame Alen for clocking me that night._ Another couple of seconds passed before he turned back toward his own quarters, hoping he hadn't just made things worse.

…

Present

Bakura

"Xel?" Kael immediately defaulted to panic mode when the man in question inexplicably started seizing. "Xel!" She snapped her head to the side. "Clyde, help me steady him!"

Her brother snapped from a light doze and leapt into action as he reached for Xel's limbs, trying to keep him from thrashing about. Two mechanical arms immediately pinned his legs to the table, only Xel's knees able to move, as Clyde used the Force to keep his arms from moving while Kael looked him over.

"Pupils are unresponsive to light," she breathed.

The EKG bottomed out again.

"He's going under! Clyde!"

"On it!"

Kae switched places with him, using her own Force abilities to hold Xel down while Clyde charged his hands with Electric Judgment.

"Clear!"

He slammed both palms into Xel's chest, and mercifully, his heart regulated this time.

Kael breathed heavily a few times, leaning her head against her brother's shoulder. "I…I can't take this, Cly. As long as that toxin is in his system, he'll keep dying. Over and over and over again." She looked up at him tearfully. "If we don't do something, he'll suffer irreversible brain damage."

Clyde breathed heavily and ran a hand through his hair, pacing. "Okay…okay, what about purging his system of the poison?"

"You mean, like…flushing his blood?"

"Or diluting it. Maybe with a blood transfusion?"

She frowned, shaking her head slowly as she looked over a datapad. "No. I analyzed the toxin, and according to this, it's engineered to stick to the cell walls of his circulatory system, not float through the bloodstream. If I weren't so horrified, I'd be amazed at how meticulously this compound was constructed."

Clyde's expression hardened. "Then…there's only one way."

Kael looked up at him in alarm. "No."

"Kae—"

"Clyde, no, I can't. Please don't make me. The last time I—"

"The last time, you were broken and emotional and unfocused." He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't," she whispered.

"You can. I believe in you," he nodded to Xel, "and so does he, otherwise he never would've come here."

Kael turned to the Mando, approaching him slowly and gulping hard as she laid a hand across his pale cheek. She looked back at Clyde, who smiled reassuringly and nodded to her. A long, deep breath was exhaled slowly as she laid both hands against his wound and closed her eyes. Another deep inhale as she opened her mind to the Force, letting it fill and permeate every inch of her frame as she reached out to Xel, feeling his weak body slowly fade beneath her touch, but the spirit inside, mostly hidden by his healing trance, still strong and fighting.

She took and released another breath, eyebrows furrowing and jaw tightening as a concentrated frown creased her forehead. Kael pressed down harder, her breathing increasing in strength as she channeled the Force into Xel's body. She saw the inside of his bloodstream in her mind's eye, the invading toxins clinging to his cells like a parasite. Her teeth gritted as she concentrated harder, seeing light begin to engulf his insides, the damaged cells already regenerating, but being destroyed even faster, a great deal already eaten away. As panic attempted to take control, a gentle, accented voice entered her mind.

_"Easy, Kae. He's all right, and so are you. Focus your emotions outward. Focus on the invaders. And then eradicate them."_

Kael distantly felt her head nod slightly, following Clyde's advice and channeling her feelings into her connection with Xel. She felt a tug in her head when she made contact with the toxin, feeling its bonds with Xel's cells resist her influence. The micro-control she needed over her abilities was exerting her by fantastical margins, only increasing the panic already in her system. Immediately, she clamped down on it, her frustration and anger steadying her mental hand as she gripped the poison, its resistance nothing in the face of her powers.

_Stay away…from Xel Caden!_

A final burst of Force energy later, and her eyes snapped open, legs going limp as the full weight of her exertion hit her. Two mechanical arms were there to keep her from falling, lowering her into a nearby chair until she waved the droid off and forced herself upright. Wondering why Tor had caught her and not Clyde, she looked up to see him bent over a fresh test tube of Xel's blood, running it through her molecular analyzer. After almost half a minute, Clyde looked up at her, his expression neutral as his head cocked slightly.

"All clear," he said softly, almost absently, a grin breaking out over his features as his sister's jaw dropped to the floor, her gaze switching between him and Xel and back again.

Kael grinned and laughed half-hysterically as she leapt into her brother's arms, the older man swinging her around in circles. "I _did_ it! I did it-I did it-I did it!"

Clyde laughed with her as he slowly lowered her to the ground. "Yes, you did." He hugged her tightly, the girl holding him back just as tight. "I'm so proud of you, and I know he will be too when he wakes up."

She just grinned and closed her eyes, leaning into her brother before turning her head to look at Xel, whose wound looked better and color was beginning to return.

_By the Force…I did it. He's okay._

Her eyes closed again as Clyde gently rocked her.

_Finally…I did it._

…

3 years ago

Athiss

6 months ABY

A sharp intake of breath heralded Xel's waking form rising into a sitting position. His eyes blinked owlishly, scanning the darkened hut he was in, then closing as his palms jammed into them, pushing away the sting of half-sleep. He couldn't even remember what he'd been dreaming about. It hadn't scared him, per se, just seemed strange. Strange enough to wake him up, at least. He laid his head back down, closing his eyes for a brief moment before feeling a tug at the edge of his subconscious. He tried to ignore it, but it kept coming back, an insistent hum at the back of his head.

With a heavy sigh, Xel pushed himself out of bed and got dressed, accepting that sleep would elude him for now. Thankfully, the night was clear and the ground dry, otherwise getting out of camp unnoticed would've been impossible. Though he appreciated the thought behind it, the escort policy in this place was, to be honest, suffocating. He brought his lightsabers along, of course, he wasn't stupid, but for some reason, he wanted to be alone tonight. Pale moonlight reflected off shiny leaves, giving him just enough light not to trip over every fallen branch and log on his way to…wherever he was going.

His body numbed as his limbs moved mechanically, his mind reflecting on the last month to have passed. Alen had been right—as usual. Training with Fenrim was…amazing. The man had _so_ much knowledge, and he understood exactly what Xel was feeling at any particular point in the day, and why. To be honest, it unnerved him more than a bit, but considering how isolated he'd kept his feelings in the past, he figured a little transparency was in order. Little by little, he was restoring his connection to the Force, gaining the power he lost and something more to boot.

He no longer had a sense of foreboding or fear when it came to his abilities. Only a sense of overwhelming peace, both with the Force and within himself. Alen and Ytris continued to help him work through his losses and grief, to come to terms with it, and through it all, periodic visits from Teras and Maila gave him the bursts of energy and inner wealth he needed to keep moving forward. He hadn't thought it possible—or wise—for him to rely so heavily on so many people, yet when he looked at any of them, he saw no threats, only friends, family. Love.

Ah, and that was the heart of it, wasn't it? He was finally beginning to understand the balance his father had achieved, the one Telia had often spoken of. His negative feelings, all the pain and anger, were always tempered with care and concern and, above all, love. He hated to sound like a sappy romance holo, even in the confines of his own mind, but when it came to the Force, love truly did conquer all. Xel hadn't pushed his new realizations and abilities just yet, though more from lack of opportunity than lack of willingness. When that finally happened…he got the feeling not even _Fenrim_ could predict what would happen.

As his booted legs carried him out onto a grassy outcropping overlooking a dark section of the forest, a feeling of foreboding and sinister intent leaked into the edges of his consciousness. His right hand involuntarily twitched toward his lightsaber, a deep breath taken and exhaled as he forced himself to calm and observe his environment. The only thing he saw was darkness, below him and beyond the foliage. His senses dulled to a hum in the back of his head as his vision narrowed and tunneled on something in the distance, elusive but clearly present all the same.

His eyes squinted, vision unable to clear but Force senses increasing their alarm as he crouched down to get a better look. He jumped at the sound of leaves crunching behind him, whirling about and reaching for his saber, but stopping halfway around.

Clyde's smug smirk greeted him, the older boy crossing his arms. "It's not safe for you to travel outside the camp at night. Especially alone."

Xel smirked and started walking past him. "Right. I'll be more careful next time."

"Though I am glad I caught you out here," he added, just as Xel crossed to his back.

The Mando stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder.

Clyde turned halfway toward him, pacing in a circle. "There's a…discussion I've been meaning to have with you for some time now."

Xel arched an eyebrow and shrugged. "Well it's about time. I'm ready to talk if you are."

Clyde chuckled darkly and shook his head slowly. "You misunderstand."

_Snap-hiss_.

A flick of Clyde's wrist brought a silver-edged blade into existence as he came to a stop, his shoulders squaring against Xel and reflectively silver eyes glaring at the Mandalorian.

Xel's jaw worked as he just nodded slowly. "Uh huh." His hand lowered to his saber, but didn't draw it. "So it's gonna be _that_ kind of discussion."

…

Present

Bakura

"Kae…I think he's waking up."

"Do…do you think we stopped the damage in time? I mean, what if he has brain injuries, doesn't remember us…or he's a vegetable?"

"You can't think about that. Just focus on the fact that he's alive, and we'll deal with the rest."

A pair of dark blue eyes stirred behind a set of ill-used lids, sluggishly fluttering open as the photoreceptors within struggled to make sense of the blurry mess facing them. After a long, deep breath and a slow blink, his vision stabilized, revealing three figures staring at him from separate sides.

He gulped slowly, taking in their various expressions. "So," he said roughly, a cocky grin coming to his face. "What'd I miss?"

Kael and Clyde exchanged a look, the former rolling her eyes and huffing hard as she walked away.

"He's fine," she groaned. "For now."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "For now?"

Clyde leaned toward him and mock-whispered. "She means until she kills you for being so reckless."

"And don't think I wont!" Kae added.

Xel chuckled, stopping and hissing when his sore chest flared in pain. He looked down to see his bare skin red, the wound in his abdomen sealed but swollen.

"We managed to eliminate the poison and heal most of the external damage," Kael began, "but the internal damage was pretty extensive, so there's quite a bit of inflammation. You're gonna be extremely sore for a while, probably a few days, even with periodic healing." She frowned. "You're lucky it didn't kill you."

"It would've," Clyde said, "were it not for her quick thinking and steady hands."

Kael smiled and clapped her brother's shoulder. "And his emotional support."

Xel just smiled and nodded slowly, eyes closing again. "_Shab_."

"_Shab_ is right," Clyde replied. "When your brother hears about this, it's gonna be a cred toss of who kills you first—her or him." He smirked and put a hand on Kael's shoulder. "My money's on you, sis."

Caden gulped and coughed. "Can you at least feed me before you kill me? Feels like I've got a Sarlacc in my stomach."

"Probably because your body consumed everything it had just to keep you alive," Kael said, moving off to get a liquid protein mix. "I wouldn't be surprised if you lost a few pounds over the last day."

Xel just tilted his head and laid back against the pillows.

Clyde leaned over him, staring down and slowly shaking his head. "You're one tough son of a Gundark, I'll give you that." He tapped Xel's forehead roughly. "Not particularly bright, though."

Xel groaned. "It wasn't my—"

"And you had Kae worried sick." He glared at the Mando. "You know how I hate to see her like that."

Xel's lips pressed into a thin line as he nodded. "I'll talk to her," he said quietly, looking to the side to send Tor a grateful nod.

The droid nodded back, leaving with Clyde as Kael returned with the mix.

"Here," she said, holding a straw to his lips as he greedily sucked it down.

Evidently, she anticipated this, because she pulled another pouch from a pocket of her carpenter's pants. This time, he took the whole container and went slower, drawing it out over almost a minute before slurping it dry. A small canister of water was handed to him, slowly drained as he took a few breaths to settle himself.

"You did a fantastic job."

Kael stared down at him, frowning deeply. "Wouldn't have had to if you—" she slapped his arm—hard, "—didn't take so many risks."

Xel rolled his eyes and leaned back, breathing deeply as she laid two fingers on his wrist, counting in her head. His eyes narrowed at the white ceiling. "It was worth it."

The girl looked down at him. "Was it?"

He reached for his waist, pulling something from a pouch at his belt. "While that Kaleesh was busy knifing me, I slipped something from his person." He held a small chip in front of her. "A connection. One that I've been looking for for months."

Kael took the chip from his hands, slipping it into her datapad. Her golden eyes widened a moment later as she perused the contents of the chip, gaze eventually drifting back to Xel. "You mean everything—"

"Yeah."

"Alzoc, the Inquisitors…Hammer?"

He nodded slowly. "All this time, I've had something itching at the back of my head, something pushing at the edge of my subconscious. And now…now I have a thread to tug on." He exhaled hard, rising to a seating position and hissing on the way up. "But we need Gossed to tie it all together."

Kael's face twisted into a deep frown. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

Another nod. "I know, but what choice do I have?"

She blinked and drew closer to him. "You can choose not to do this alone."

He gave her a confused look and jerked a thumb at the other room. "I have Tor."

Her eyes rolled as she pulled him close and plopped her head on his shoulder. "Tor is just one droid. You seem insistent on forgetting that you have all of us."

Xel curled one arm around her smaller body, releasing a long breath. "Forget for a moment the fact that my ship can't comfortably hold more than three people at a time. How exactly can having all of you with me at once help rather than hinder?"

She snorted and pulled back to give him a sarcastic look. "It's called 'backup,' moron. Something you seem allergic to."

"Wha—no, that is so not right. I'm perfectly fine having backup."

"Just not with calling for it. Alen told me how many close calls you've had over the last seven months alone. Constantly, blindly throwing yourself into danger—"

"There is nothing blind about anything I've done, Kae. Every move I've made has been precisely calculated and accounted for. I know what I'm doing."

She gave him a long look. "Would that I believed that."

Xel sighed hard and lay down, staring back at the ceiling. "What would you have me do?"

Kael crouched next to the bed, bringing her head to his level. "Stop making this all about you, like this is only your responsibility to carry. You have a bad habit of doing that."

He looked up at her.

She smirked. "It's almost funny how Alen's supposed to be the Jedi and yet you insist on bearing the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "No." He thumbed a small, crescent-shaped scar over her left eyebrow. "Just the bits I can change."

Kael smiled a little and gripped his hand in two of hers. "So. You gonna listen?"

He went back to staring at the ceiling. "That depends."

"On?"

His eyes trailed over to her. "On whether or not you're tired of playing doctor. And Clyde of playing nurse."

Kael snorted a laugh. "Don't ever let him hear you call him that."

Xel grinned.

Her expression sobered somewhat. "I have no prior engagements—and frankly, I'd rather be _your_ doctor. Worst most people here have to deal with is an occasional flu, but you? You get shredded, stabbed, shot, and burned more times than I eat in a day. Honestly, even with your armor, it's a wonder you're still alive."

His head shook slowly. "Guess I'm just not done yet. And I won't be; not until this is finished." He blinked at her. "So?"

"I can only speak for myself," came Clyde's accented voice as he and Tor slid into the room, "but I think it's safe to say we're in. I'll call the others as soon as you're ready to move."

Xel nodded to him, turning back to Kael. "And you?"

She bit her lower lip, eyeing him carefully as her jaw tightened. "To the end."

The Mandalorian Knight pushed himself upright, Kael helping him to stand as he took a deep breath and stretched out his joints. "It's settled then." His head turned to face the trio. "Rally the Knights." He re-sealed his suit and slipped his discarded armor back on, helmet tucked under his arm. "We're going hunting."

* * *

AN: All right, so not much to say about this intermediate chapter. Surprisingly enough, I actually enjoyed writing this a bit more than the last one, probably because it flowed a bit easier. For some reason, action scenes are getting harder for me, so depending on the majority of a chapter's content, I may or may not get through the next chapters rapidly.

A few things I do have to say about the next story arcs. Like I said in the last chapter, the next couple will be based primarily in the past, because I know there are a lot of gaps in knowledge and a lot of questions on your mind about all the stuff that goes unsaid in the present. Rest assured, your curiosity will be put to rest in good time.

As some of you have probably already guessed, I am a _super_ Old Republic/KOTOR fan, hence all the references and allusions to both. What you don't know is the extent to which the plot for season three, and in reality the entire sequel story, is tied to that era of Star Wars history. I won't give spoilers, but rest assured, if any of you play the games, you'll recognize a bunch of what I have in store for the rest of the season.

Please review at your leisure and share this story with your friends.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	49. Aggressive Negotiations

6 months later

Isis, Anoat sector

4 years, 1 month ABY

"Suddenly I'm really glad I brought all of you with me."

A feminine snort came from behind the speaker. "Please, like you had a choice."

Xel rolled his eyes and exhaled hard as he turned around to see three others holding back laughter. "What I _meant_ was that according to the data files I received from Skywalker, the native Gutretees have a natural immunity to blaster weapons."

"Meaning that our only defense against any hostile natives is our lightsabers," Clyde added.

"Though I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that," Ytris said quietly.

"Ytris is right," said Alen, frowning into the distance. "We're here for information, not a fight."

"To that end," Xel added, "I've even foregone wearing my armor. Although, considering how much the natives value strength, maybe that's a bad idea."

Alen put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We'll be fine."

The Mando nodded and turned forward again, exhaling hard. "All right. Let's do this before I change my mind."

Any onlookers standing by in Neskroff, Isis' only spaceport, would've stared at the sight greeting them from bay A-17: eight figures, all arrayed differently, of various shapes, sizes, and species. Five humans, none of which looked particularly alike and one towering above all the rest. A Caamasi, standing at some six feet tall and glancing about with an absent look in his eyes. A Jerun, ante-hair flapping in the wind from her head's place 6'4" off the ground, sky blue eyes flitting about with combination alert and wonder at the massive crystalline formations all around them. And, finally, a black-armored, t-visored droid about 6'2", never more than a foot from the black-haired man at the front.

This one in particular, now nineteen years of age (though he looked a few years older by way of scars and wear), strode confidently up to the counter of a tapcafe not two blocks from where his ship was docked. A few of the native life forms eyed him and his companions strangely while the rest, immigrant workers from the Figg conglomerate, just kept going about their normal routine, most already conditioned to seeing such unusual sights. Xel Caden marched up to the bartender, clearly a nonnative, and tapped the counter twice.

"Cerean Star, and make it hot."

The 'tender gave him a sideways look. "How hot we talkin'?"

Xel leaned closer. "Burning."

He smirked and nodded, mixing up the ordered drink, then taking an igniter from a drawer under the counter and lighting up its surface. Xel let it sit for a few moments, admiring the patterns and colors emitted by the flames, then blowing it out and downing the whole shot in one gulp. He cringed slightly, then shook his head to clear away the tingles, slapping a few creds down on the counter and smirking as the rest of his companions took various seats around the bar.

"Another," said the Mando.

The bartender shrugged and complied, taking no notice of the strange patrons, one of whom was a droid. "So, you drinkin' to forget? Or to mourn landing on this dustball?"

Xel arched an eyebrow as he blew out another shot. "Doesn't seem to be much dust here, apart from powdered crystal." Another gulp, another cringe and shake of the head.

"What I meant was that it's remote, isolated, and completely disconnected from any kind of civilization."

"Figured as much." He had to suppress his smirk. "Thing is, that's _exactly_ the kind of place to find someone like _you_, Karlaius."

The bartender's features twitched almost imperceptibly. He chuckled a little. "Where'd you hear _that_ name?"

Xel shrugged and downed another shot. "An old friend told me a story some time ago, about an incredibly gifted con man he knew once. Took him and his sister for everything they had, then vanished without a trace, leaving them prey for the akk dogs and stormtroopers." He leaned closer, staring up at the man with a small smirk. "Ring any bells?"

He shrugged and shook his head slowly. "Can't say it—"

The man's green eyes went wide as saucers and jaw dropped as Xel felt a presence approach from behind and sit in the bar stool next to him.

Clyde Dansen's piercing silver eyes stared at the man, who was frozen stock-still.

"And how about now?" Xel asked coyly, his question an instant cue for the rest of his party to face the bartender at once, all other patrons seeming to have magically vanished.

"Yes, Karli," Clyde's thickly accented voice added. "How about now?"

…

3 years ago

Athiss

6 months ABY

The dull hum of Clyde's ignited lightsaber was an ever-insistent reminder of the potential danger Xel now faced. But as the seconds dragged on, the Mando felt nothing but a profound urge to laugh. Instead, he just rolled his eyes and walked away. The sputtering heard from behind almost made him crack up.

"W-What are you doing?!" Clyde demanded.

"Going back to bed," he answered simply, not even bothering to face him. "As I should've done when I first woke up."

A few moments later, Clyde's slightly taller body landed in front of him, the point of his silver blade extended toward Xel's throat. "If you think you can just walk away from this—"

"I do," Xel interrupted sharply. "Now get out of my way."

"See, this? This is _exactly_ what I meant." He sneered. "You strut about this place like it's yours for the taking, like you're a permanent fixture."

"And here I thought you _wanted_ me to commit," Xel quipped, taking a step closer to Clyde's sword. "What I'm _doing_, _di'kut_, is refusing to give you a fight, mainly because Kael would kill us if she ever found out about it."

Clyde arched a brow behind his dark gray hood. "And the second reason?"

Xel just blinked, a blank expression on his face. "Why? Just…why? What's the point? I already told you I'm not here to replace you, so either you didn't believe me, or this is about something else entirely."

Clyde's silver eyes narrowed dangerously. "Stop trying to get inside my head."

The Mando snorted a laugh and smirked. "I don't _need_ to. That _thing_ on your head, ya know, your face? It's more than expressive enough to make you an open holozine."

The older boy smirked dangerously. "Then what is it telling you now?"

Xel's jaw tightened. "That you're playing with fire and you know it."

"Wrong. I _am_ the fire, and I think it's high time you're tested in it." He pointed his saber at Xel's belt. "Now, draw your blade."

He didn't move.

"Draw!"

Xel gave him a long look, then stepped around his saber and walked right past him, stopping some distance away. "You know," he began, looking over his shoulder at Clyde's tense, shaking form, "Kael told me stories about you. So did Alen." He faced Clyde fully. "They both said you're an honorable man, if a little prone to emotional thinking at times." He smiled. "I can relate."

"You and I," he growled, "are nothing alike."

"No?" Xel asked, arching an eyebrow and taking a step toward him. "You're a warrior, I'm a warrior. You love your sister, I love my brother. We both value family above all else, would do anything for them."

Clyde stared at him.

"So, you and me?" He motioned between them. "We're not so different. The one divide between us—only possibility I can think of, anyway—is that unlike me, you prize power. Me?" He shrugged. "I don't care."

"But that's not true, is it? Would you be training so hard with Fenrim if you didn't miss the thrill of that strength?"

"It's not _about_ the thrill," he spat. "It's necessity. A piece of myself is missing, and I'll never feel at peace until I get it back."

"And yet, what you lost was gained because you hungered for power in the first place."

"Well…yeah." Xel frowned, wincing. He sighed hard and ran a hand through his hair, pacing. "_Shab_…difficult as it is to admit, you're right. I was blinded by my power, thought I was invincible." He stopped and faced Clyde. "But that's not me anymore."

Clyde snorted.

"It _isn't_." Xel's eyes narrowed, one hand coming up to his head. "You say you can see into the minds of others?" He waved his arms outward. "Look into mine. See me for who I am _now_."

Dansen stared at him for several seconds. "Memories, thoughts…all of that can be distorted."

Xel sighed and rolled his eyes.

"No...I know another way, one that I picked up from the Echani, as point of fact. See, words, appearances, and even actions can be misleading." He twirled his lightsaber. "The purest form of communication…is combat." His saber stopped, pointing up at Xel. "So draw, and let us speak plainly."

Xel stared at him for several seconds, jaw tightening, then stepped back, loosening his shoulders and pulling his lightsaber off his belt. "See, this? This is something I can respect. Not some insecure, jealous outburst from an emotional child."

"Do me a favor."

"Hm?"

"Shut up and fight."

…

Present

Isis

Karlaius stared at the two men in alternation, mouth wide open. "B-But—how—you're—"

"Dead?" Clyde asked, smirking and downing one of Xel's shots. "Yeah, been getting that a lot lately."

"As we intended," Xel added. "But that's not what we're here for. Your offenses against my friend are ancient history now. What we want from you—" he slapped a data chip on the table, "—is a great deal more subtle."

He stared down at the chip for a few seconds before shrugging abruptly. "What am I supposed to do with that? Slice it?"

Xel's head shook. "If we needed a slicer, I would've just asked him." He jabbed a thumb back at Alen, who waved from his seat. "No, we need you for your connections."

"Connections?"

"Ze'tam Gossed," Clyde interrupted, "Black Sun, Bandar Koris. Any of this ringin' a bell?"

Karlaius gulped hard, glancing down at the chip. "No."

Xel casually drew his knife and laid it on the counter. "Think harder."

"You don't understand. I picked this place to be _away_ from all that craziness. To start over after…" he glanced at Clyde, "everything. But if _you_ found me here, so will they, and they won't be happy I've ratted them out."

"There's hardly a 'them' left to rat out, Karlaius," Xel said. "Or haven't you heard? Black Sun is little more than a steaming pile of rubble just barely staying afloat now that Darth Vader and the Alliance have gotten through with it. Prince Xizor is dead, the organization is in splinters, and there's no clear leadership now. At this point, if there _is _anyone in there still alive that knows you, they really don't care." He absently spun the knife on the counter. "We, on the other hand, care very much."

Karlaius eyed them carefully, apparently deciding that old loyalties weren't worth his life. He snatched the chip up and inserted it into a datapad under the counter. "Okay…this thing is encrypted with a special self-evolving cypher issued to only the highest-level Black Sun operatives." He glanced at Xel as he got to work with the unlock credentials. "Who'd you have to kill to get this?"

Xel smirked. "As it turned out, we didn't. I called in a favor from a friend in the Alliance, who put me in touch with a former Black Sun operative. Xizor's right-hand woman, actually; goes by Guri. Well, anyway, we met at a neutral location. I explained the situation, and she agreed to help in return for a little information."

"What kind?"

"None of your business. Now get that thing open."

Karlaius snorted and kept working. "My credentials are old, but they still…work. Bingo." His eyes widened considerably a moment later, slowly looking up at Xel. "Cly…whatever you got yourself into—"

"Is none of your concern," he interrupted, snatching up the pad and handing it to Xel. "So what did we win?"

Xel perused the contents of the 'pad, expression growing grim. "Unless I'm either dreaming or mad…a conspiracy."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Silver and blue crackled together in deadly harmony as two students tested their mettle against each other. Xel leapt away from a wide horizontal slash, feeling its heat pass over the front of his body as he tried to gain some maneuvering room. Clyde didn't let up for a second, coming down with diagonal strikes and wide, powerful blows with added power from spins and flourishes that battered Xel's guard like rain. It was like fighting Vader's apprentice all over again; worse, actually, since if he got cut here, he couldn't just wake up whole.

Xel backed up by the foot as Clyde kept pushing his advantage, driving Xel deeper into the forest as he kept himself on high ground. Xel called on the Force and reached out to a nearby branch, snapping it off and tossing it at the older student. Clyde spun and arced his blade into the air, bisecting the projectile cleanly and flowing into a leap for a nearby tree trunk. His right boot planted on the trunk and launched him into a downward strike against Xel. Knowing he wouldn't be able to block it, Xel lunged to the side and wing-blocked, letting Clyde's blade skate off his as he pivoted mid-step and swung for Dansen's back.

Clyde spun in the same direction with a nearly identical strike, clashing blades with Xel and trading blows without giving or taking ground. This exchange lasted only six moves, with Clyde feinting left but slashing right and lunging for Xel's legs with a trip-kick. The Mando somersaulted over his head, attacking from above and nearly clipping his ear. The moment his boots hit the ground, a powerful Force Push slammed into his chest, catapulting him twenty feet back into a tree. Coughing hard, he looked up to see Clyde's silver blade descending in a flying stab, the other boy roaring his fury as he came down.

Xel lunged and dove away from the tree, Clyde's legs barely missing his head as he whirled around to face him, drawing his saber but finding it removed from his grasp when Clyde swung it behind him, his blade clipping the bottom half of Xel's hilt. The cylinder clinked against a nearby fallen log as Clyde advanced confidently, smirking. Xel smirked right on back as Clyde swung for him diagonally, calmly recalling his lightsaber and igniting it just in time to block his strike. Dansen gaped at him openly, the Mando exploiting his distraction and shoving their blades up to plant a hard knee in his lower chest, followed swiftly by a thrust-kick to the sternum.

Clyde flew back three feet, rolling in recovery and clambering upright as he eyed Xel with new anxiety.

Xel just smirked and held out his saber one-handed. "_Beskar_ hilt, _di'kut_. You won't be winning that easily."

Clyde just snorted and charged back in, but Xel was ready for him, leaping over his initial lunge and catching the hood of his robe to yank him off his feet. He swung his sapphire blade back, Clyde barely catching his blow and countering with a slice to his leg that cut a shallow line through his upper thigh. Hissing and grunting, Xel rolled away and suppressed his pain with the Force, never taking his eyes off Clyde as the other teen advanced. A burst of Force energy sent fallen leaves and branches flying up into the air, blocking the space between them and blinding Clyde long enough for Xel to leap into the trees.

The older boy chased him with fury, cutting through two branches and leaping from one tree to the next in pursuit of him. Finally, he came to a stop, having lost track of Xel in the darkness and rush of foliage. His head snapped in several directions, silver eyes narrowing, then closing as he opened himself to the Force. A sharp warning from above prompted him to strike preemptively, a sizzling crack splitting the air as their blades made contact and Xel landed in a crouch next to him. The Mando swiped at his legs, a strike dodged with a small jump that shook the thick arm of the tree upon landing.

Two rapid strikes were exchanged before Xel swept his lightsaber upward with a powerful strike, knocking Clyde's lightsaber entirely away from his body, then spinning his own counterclockwise to slash horizontally through his upper torso. Clyde ducked massively, spinning his blade behind his back and transferring it from his right hand to his left while swinging for Xel's right side in the same motion. The strike landed, and cut a deep, burning gash through the soft flesh under his rib cage, Xel yelling and withdrawing as quickly as he could. Clyde leapt into the air and drove a flying kick into his sternum, catapulting him into the trunk of the tree and sending his lightsaber flying from his grip and falling into the foliage below.

Clyde's silver blade swung for his neck, but Xel caught his wrist and held it back, gasping at the pain in his side and leg.

"Yield," Clyde hissed between clenched teeth.

Xel breathed heavily, feeling burning sparks fly against his skin as the silver blade kept cutting through the trunk at his back, drawing ever closer to his neck. "That's not…who I am."

A shin-kick was driven into the inside of Clyde's right knee, forcing a shout from his throat and a partial collapse of his stance. This gave Xel enough leverage to drive a rising elbow into the bottom of Clyde's chin, forcing his teeth to click together and knocking his brain about. Xel spun, still holding Clyde's saber arm and slamming him back-first into the trunk as the upper part of the tree was severed from the main body, falling heavily and crashing into the forest floor. Unable to match Clyde strength for strength, Xel lunged backward and allowed himself to fall into the branch, gritting his teeth against the hard wood against his back in order to roll Clyde onto both his feet and kick him off.

Adding Force to the blow, he launched the older fighter twenty feet through the air and into another horizontal branch, knocking the wind out of him as he grasped it to keep from falling. Xel gasped for breath, pushing himself upright and leaning heavily against what was left of the trunk. It was a full fifteen seconds later before either of them faced the other, staring across the distance as they both regained their breath. Clyde reignited his lightsaber, Xel reaching out for his and failing to find it from such a distance. The older boy leapt for him with a falling strike, Xel lunging for a lower branch and landing in a rough crouch.

Clyde pursued him relentlessly, coming down with strike after strike, missing most but making few grazing shots on his arms and legs. By the time Xel managed to get halfway down, he was reeling in pain, giving Clyde the opportunity to clock him with a flying roundhouse kick to the head, knocking him the last fifteen feet to the ground. He landed heavily, on his chest, and tried to push himself upright, every inch of his body screaming in protest. A heavy form landed on his back, removing his choice in the matter and angling a blade of silver light next to the left side of his face.

"Yield," Clyde repeated, his voice stronger this time and bearing a note of smug superiority.

Xel's blue eyes flickered to the lightsaber, jaw clenching. "No."

The older boy snarled and brought the saber closer, his right leg pinning Xel's neck to the ground as the blade sizzled over the skin over his left cheekbone, the younger teen screaming as his flesh was burned away in a shallow line.

"_Yield_!"

Xel's body began to shake with unabated rage at his own helplessness, his control slipping as the pain increased.

_No,_ he thought. _That's not who I am anymore. I am not a _shabla_ wildfire._

"Go. To. Hell."

Clyde snorted, lifting his saber and pressing his boot further into Xel's upper back. "Brave or stupid, I wonder? No matter. I think I've proven my point."

Xel's hands pressed against the ground hard, not budging himself an inch, but not giving up.

"This is where you belong, usurper. Under my boot."

His rage was kept in check, just barely, converted into channeled fury and directed inward.

"For some reason, my sister looks up to you, but from where I'm standing, I can only look down."

Xel ground his teeth together. "Can you do me a favor?" he hissed.

"Hm?"

A wave of Force energy erupted off Xel's body in every direction, sending Clyde flying ten feet through the air and landing with a rough roll. The Mando slowly pushed himself upright, closing his eyes briefly then extending his hand to the side and feeling the pull of the Mephite and Ruusan crystals sitting in his lightsaber, both attuned to his unique Force signature. His grip solidified half a second later, a rush of leaves and air bringing the _beskar_ cylinder into his grasp as the second ended.

_Snap-hiss_.

"Shut up and fight," Xel growled, blade pointed at Clyde, then twirling down and slashing a shallow line through the ground to come up into a two-handed grip at his right shoulder.

Clyde snarled, but Xel never gave him the chance to make a move. A feint on his left was followed by a sweeping kick to his legs. Having braced for the blow already, Clyde was unable to dodged the sweep and hit the ground side-first. Caden's sword came down before the older boy had the chance to move, forcing Clyde to hold it back with both hands. Xel suddenly released the pressure of his blade, his opponent's extreme force sending his own saber snapping away from his prone body. Xel used the opportunity to slam a kick into his wrists, disarming him with a howl of pain.

Another kick was directed into his upper ribs, and Xel's sapphire blade swiped for his left leg. Clyde rolled away and growled furiously, both hands coming up with splayed fingers. Xel's shock at what happened next didn't hamper his defense, his blue-edged saber attracting and absorbing the sudden and vicious burst of Electric Judgment, flashes of azure electricity mixed in with the gold. The sheer force of it sent Xel skidding back across the leaf-strewn ground a few inches, but the Mando forced his way forward, sending a shin-kick into the same knee he'd attempted to cripple earlier, then twisting around his electric attack and clubbing him in the side of the head with his hilt.

Deactivating his saber, he didn't let up for a second, using his saber as a makeshift bludgeon to inflict massive amounts of blunt damage on his opponent, finishing with a powerful 360 roundhouse kick that sent Clyde flying back into the dirt. The older boy groaned loudly, one eye black but not swollen shut, attempting to push himself upright with shaky arms until a _snap-hiss_ split the air and the point of a sapphire blade hovered inches from his throat. Xel himself wasn't much steadier, having exerted himself quite a bit more than he had in weeks, but still enough to look intimidating.

"I," he gasped, "…am not your enemy." His features shifted in part regret, part exasperation, his lightsaber falling to his side. "I never _asked_ for Kael's attention, or admiration. I never _wanted_ to make friends here, or become as attached to this place, to these people, as I am now."

Clyde stared up at him, his bruised expression unreadable.

Xel's saber deactivated. "But that's the hand life dealt me. And to be honest, I'm glad I didn't get my way." He sighed hard and stepped back, allowing Clyde to stand. "I have a life now, an _actual_ life, with an _actual_ future." His features softened wistfully. "I have a _purpose_, Clyde."

The other boy's jaw worked for a moment. "And what might that be?"

A smile flickered over Caden's features. "To rebuild my family, instead of trying to destroy another. After all…what is it they say?" His smile grew. "'Friends are the family you choose.'" He shrugged. "Turns out they can choose you too." He frowned a little. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be. It doesn't have to be you or me; I am giving you the chance to let it be you _and_ me. Separating yourself from the rest on my account helps no one, least of all your sister."

Clyde eyed him for a while, still expressionless but eyes dancing with a strange mixture of fear and hope. Something in them softened, and he winced visibly. "Caden…you couldn't possibly understand the reasoning for my decisions."

Xel smirked. "I'm a complicated person too. Try me."

He just stared at him, jaw clenching and unclenching at random.

Xel sighed hard. "Just tell me one thing. Does it have anything to do with this Karlaius?"

…

Present

Isis

Karlaius eyed Clyde Dansen and his sister with the wary look of prey observing predators. After the unusual group adjourned a short meeting, speaking in hushed tones over shots of liquor, they all stood, Clyde and Xel sharing a long look before speaking in an abrupt but mildly heated conversation. Straining to hear, the only words he managed to pick out amidst the others' motions to ready for departure were Xel's last, spoken through a tight jaw.

"Do what you have to."

Clyde gave him a grave nod, then turned to the con man-turned-bartender with a grim expression. Karlaius felt his blood run cold when the younger man approached the bar with heavy steps, his own legs rooted to the ground in terror at the steely look in his eyes. He restrained the urge to grimace and close his eyes, wanting desperately to face his end with some dignity. By the time Clyde had stared at him for ten full seconds without doing anything, he was ready to forget dignity. When the young man lifted his right hand, he flinched and took a step backward.

Clyde's grip landed on his left shoulder before he could move his weight onto that back leg, silver eyes locking with Karlaius' intensely. The bartender gulped, feeling his heart try to hammer its way out of his chest. Finally, Clyde took a breath and opened his mouth, eyebrows pulling together.

"I forgive you."

Karlaius stared at him for a second, blinking hard, then shaking his head. "Sorry…what?"

Clyde resisted the urge to roll his eyes and sighed instead, tightening his grip around the man's shoulder. "I forgive you."

Karlaius stared at him like he was a rancor.

"I've learned a lot since last we met, grown immeasurably more than you can imagine; in great part because of your actions. What you meant for ill turned out for good in the long run, and now, I have everything I've ever wanted." He smiled a little, a genuine sparkle in his eyes. "So how can I continue to blame you for a hurt that never was, instead of thanking you for the opportunity of a lifetime?"

The man gaped.

"Your betrayal opened the door to a whole new world, led me to a teacher, to friends, a new family I'd never dreamed of and can't imagine living without." He looked over his shoulder, back at a smiling Kael and Xel, the latter of which nodded to him. His head turned back to Karlaius. "Thank you."

Without another word, Clyde released him and moved for the door, Xel and his sister clapping him on the shoulder on the way out. Karlaius' jaw never picked itself off the floor.

…

3 years ago

Athiss

Clyde stared at Xel for a while, eyes flickering across his features. His features shifted. "Karlaius was a man we knew, Kael and I, before Fenrim found and brought us here. We considered him a dear friend after…well, I assume Kae's told you about our…unfortunate childhood?"

Xel nodded grimly. "Chandrilan nobility, parents and extended family assassinated by a rival house."

Clyde nodded and slumped against a nearby tree stump, sitting heavily. "Karlaius found us about a month afterward, about five years ago. Smuggled us offworld when it became clear that the rival house wouldn't stop until we were all erased, despite their vicious sanction by the other houses. Taught us to be smart, to be cunning, how to act and manipulate to get by." He laughed self-deprecatingly. "Quite the fall from nobility, but we did what was necessary to survive. Months passed, and we were put on a hot job. Something went wrong, and he left us out to dry. Turns out those assassins followed us to Nar Kreeta, and when the authorities were put on our trail, they found us first.

"We were good as dead." He waved in the direction of the camp. "That's when Fenrim intervened. He found us in that spaceport, and somehow he just knew about our untapped abilities. Brought us here." Another shrug. "We've hardly left Athiss ever since." He looked up at Xel, eyes hard. "So I think you'll understand if I'm unable to trust another man from that world so easily."

Xel's head shook slowly. "Except I'm not. I may walk on the seedier side of the galaxy, but my job, my _purpose_, is justice, not deception. I don't make my life hiding the truth. I drag it into the light." He approached Clyde. "I understand that trust is earned, but if you give me that chance, your faith _will_ be rewarded." His expression turned solemn. "And I will never,_ ever_ lie to you. That's a promise, and I always keep my promises." He extended a hand. "So what do you say?"

Clyde stared at the appendage for a moment, shifting his gaze to Xel's blue eyes. He tentatively reached out, then took his hand firmly, the Mando hauling him to his feet. He calmly recalled his saber to his hand, Xel tensing slightly as it returned to his grip. The older student just rolled his eyes and grinned as he clipped it to his belt.

"Come on," Clyde said, turning toward the camp, "someone's bound to notice you missing at some point, if they haven't already. And Kael's gonna freak out when she sees us. Might as well delay that until we've had a decent night's rest."

"Agreed," Xel groaned. "She may be small and a little scrawny, but that girl's got some pipes, and with all the bruises and burns I already have, a migraine would be the _least_ welcome addition."

Clyde chuckled, the first time Xel had ever heard him truly laugh. It was surprisingly warm. The Mando wondered why he insisted on not doing it more, not for the first time.

Clyde looked over at him, a teasing smirk on his face. "By the way, your footwork was off. Precision of your strikes needs work too. You're too loose with your slashes."

Xel could feel his surprise when he responded, "I'm open to suggestions."

Dansen stared at him sideways. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "There's only so much Alen and Fenrim can teach me, considering they both practice different styles. Out of everyone here, you and Pelem have the closest form to mine, and I just don't have the height to use Form V like he does."

Clyde kept staring, blinking a few times, then smirking. "I'm not an easy teacher."

"Did I ask? I need to know that I can rely on my skills to see me through danger, not brute strength or sheer Force power."

A smile spread over the other boy's features. "Admirable viewpoint."

"So, are you game?"

He nodded slowly. "I am." A frown creased his features. "But not until the day after tomorrow."

Xel looked at him strangely. "Why?"

Clyde snorted. "Because it'll take that long to recover from what Kael is gonna do to us."

Caden gave him a sideways look.

Clyde returned it. "Do you doubt it?"

Xel chortled and shook his head as they entered the camp and made their way to the residential section. Moments away from parting for separate quarters, a bright light came on in front of them, illuminating a dirty blonde girl with golden eyes and crossed arms. Her expression was nothing short of indignant, and it only got worse the longer she stared at them.

Xel smiled nervously. _Speak of the devil…_

Clyde and Xel exchanged a look before facing her and pointing at each other, yelling in tandem, "He started it!" They grinned a moment later.

Kael was not amused, fire flashing in her golden eyes. "And I'm going to end it," she growled through gritted teeth. "Starting with both of you!"

Another exchanged look.

"Should we run?"

"Nah, just means we'll have sore legs on top of the beatdown."

Xel chuckled easily, further arousing the ire of the girl. So strange that just minutes ago, they were at each other's throats, each deadly intent on beating the other. Now, they were bantering and conversing and actually making each other _laugh_. One look at Clyde and he knew the same was running through his head, which made him want to roll on the floor laughing. Clyde felt the same way, clearly, and they would've been, except for the fact that the murderous energy from Kael was increasing by the second.

Xel chuckled once more, exchanging a look with the elder Dansen. _Totally worth it._

…

Present

Isis

"Well…that was unexpected."

Iola looked over at Alen. "What? That Karlaius was so cooperative or that Clyde spared him?"

"That we accomplished our mission without any actual violence," Ytris answered for him. He looked over at Xel with respect.

Xel smirked and nodded to him. "Wanted to make you proud."

The Caamasi chuckled and nodded.

"Given the fact that nothing up to this point has gone this much according to plan," Pelem cut in, "I propose a small celebration."

Kael laughed and jerked her thumb behind them. "You're a little late, Pel. We just _left_ the bar."

Pelem shot Xel a wry smirk. "And here I thought our resident Mandalorian had liquor stashed in all sorts of places aboard that ship."

The Mando said nothing, just smirked as they reached the spaceport and all filed off to three separate ships, the _Kandosii'tal_ parked next to the _Shereshoy_, completely juxtaposed in design and paint job. Alen gave Xel a wave as their respective crews split up, the Caamasi going with Alen and Pelem with Clyde and Kael. The usual duo boarded the _Kandosii'tal_, Xel plugging the decoded drive into the holoprojector next to his seat, then leaning back, having Tor perform the pre-flight checks and letting his eyes scan over the data, at the moment a still image.

_Bandar Koris. Finally have a face to put to the name._ He glowered at the projection. _And it's a face I'd never forget. This _chakaar _is the Anzati freak my father threatened on Coruscant all those years ago. And his name popped up on Nar Shaddaa the day he—_ His eyes widened. _The day he died._ A burning fury swept through him. _Whoever Koris is, he is or was working for the Empire. With the Imperial contacts we've had in recent years, I'm willing to believe that's an "is." Thing is, Vader's left me alone for the last four years, and after Skywalker's last encounter with him, I finally know why._

_ So either that sick Darth is keeping his options for an apprentice open, or someone else is pulling Koris' strings—and Gossed's_. _But who could have that kind of—_ His mind flashed to the hooded, silver-eyed figure that haunted his nightmares. _Of course. _His eyes narrowed as the ship lifted off the ground, and he shifted and leaned back in his seat, turning side to side. _So, let's assume that the arrangement with Koris is the same as six years ago. If that apprentice controls Koris, then he picked up our trail on Coruscant, which led him to Nar Shaddaa, which means…_

Xel's eyes widened in horror, and he sat upright, hands dancing over the controls to holocom Alen and Clyde. His brother picked up almost instantly, Clyde a little shorter on the draw.

"Yeah," Alen said, "what's up? Giving us a destination?"

"No," Xel replied darkly.

Alen turned to face the camera fully. "Xel? What's wrong? You haven't carried _that_ tone since—"

"It's not the Empire."

Alen blinked slowly. "I'm sorry?"

"Gossed's orders. They aren't coming from the Empire. At least, not the Empire at large."

"Okay?" he asked confusedly, Iola stepping into view.

"It's the apprentice."

Alen stared at him blankly, though dreaded realization was beginning to show in his features. "I don't understand."

"Koris is the key to everything. He controls communication, funding, requisitions, everything that Gossed's sect of Black Sun needs to stay afloat. And he works for Vader's apprentice. He has all the way from the start."

Alen exhaled hard and started pacing, Iola looking more than a bit disturbed.

"Okay," the Jedi said finally, "okay, here's one problem though. Vader _hated_ Black Sun. He destroyed it. Why would he send his apprentice to pick up the pieces?"

Xel's lips pursed tightly. "He wouldn't."

Realization dawned on Iola. "He's gone rogue."

Xel nodded slowly. "And Vader doesn't know it yet, probably because he's been busy hunting Skywalker. Only paid enough attention to Black Sun to leave it in ruins, then abandoned them to look for Luke. Meanwhile, his traitorous apprentice sneaks in and takes over what's left."

"Only one problem with your theory," said Ytris from off-screen. "These attacks, everything we've tied to Gossed, not all of them happened after Black Sun went down in flames."

Xel's head shook. "Because the apprentice refused to communicate with them directly, hence the need for a liaison."

"Koris," Alen supplied.

Xel nodded. "He's been grooming Gossed to take over Black Sun for _years_, anticipating the conflict between Prince Xizor and his master. The attacks, however, _did_ start after the Battle of Yavin, when Vader first discovered Luke's existence, hence his initial distraction. I'd be surprised if he hadn't been planning something like this even _before_ that, given what he told me the one time we spoke."

"About obeying Vader?"

"'For now,'" Xel quoted. "The question now is, do we continue making scaling this ladder our priority?"

Iola and Alen exchanged a look, the former speaking up. "What's the alternative?"

Alen shot the feed a dark look. "Let Vader clean up his own trash. By all indications, his 'servant' is looking to supplant him. That's not something Sith take lightly."

"If we compile enough evidence of his activities," Ytris began, "all we need do is find a way to get it to the Dark Lord. We needn't even lift a finger beyond that."

"Given how much time and effort we've spent into tracking these _chakaare_, and how intelligent Vader is, I think what we have is already enough." Xel's expression darkened as he stared at the dashboard. "So, do we give this up?"

"You're giving us a choice?" Clyde asked.

He looked at his best friend. "You staked your lives in this too. It's not just my fight anymore, remember?"

Kael exchanged a look with her brother, then looked back to Xel. "I said I was in this with you to the end. I stand by that."

"I stand with her," Clyde added with a cross of his arms.

"And I," Tor said. "Though I suppose that was somewhat a given."

Xel smirked. "And the rest?"

"I vote against," Iola said, sending an apologetic look to Xel. "I never knew your parents, but I've lost to this apprentice too, and I can't think of a better way to honor the fallen than to move on with our lives. I know you've changed, Xel, but the truth is, this feels like the road to another Hypori."

Xel frowned, but nodded in understanding.

"I also vote against," Ytris protested softly. "I fully understand and support the object of this mission, but violence is not my way. If there is a method to wash our hands of this, I support it wholeheartedly."

"I side with him," Pelem said. "I'm no stranger to violence, but I was a Jedi once. We're peacekeepers, not soldiers."

"The peace is already broken," Kael objected. "Not much point in trying to keep it."

"That may be, but the ideal is still solid. My answer is no."

All eyes now turned to Alen, whose expression was dark and unreadable.

"Alen?" Kael asked. "You're bein' awful quiet."

The Jedi looked down, jaw working. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. "I vote…yes."

Several stared at him in surprise, none more than Xel.

"Why?" the Mando asked his brother. "I know this isn't about revenge for you, no matter how responsible the apprentice is for Mom and Dad."

Alen's head shook slowly. "No, it isn't." He looked up at them, tone hardening. "It's about justice, and principle." He looked to Pelem. "I understand your reservations, Pel, I do, but the core of a Jedi peacekeeper isn't a Force-powered policeman, it's a knight. We go where we must to execute justice for those who can't." His shoulders broadened as he stood up straighter, voice strong and commanding. "If we leave our sworn duty to be done by our greatest enemy, we fight evil with more evil. It's more than just abdication of our responsibility. It's wrong. _We_ are the defenders of the innocent." His expression went hard. "It's time we start acting like it."

The line was completely silent for nearly a full minute as Xel stared at his brother with a mixture of one percent jealousy at his speechmaking abilities and ninety-nine percent awe. Apparently, a few others felt the same.

"Well," Ytris said softly, "when you put it that way…" He looked up and nodded. "I'm in."

Pelem sighed hard. "Same."

Iola pursed her lips and exchanged a look with each of them, settling on Alen and gripping his arm tightly. She sighed. "Okay. As long as we are _sure_ that this is just about making sure they get their comeuppance." Her sky blue gaze was directed at Xel.

The Mando nodded solemnly. "On my honor as _Mando'ad_."

Iola nodded firmly. "Then yes. I'm in."

"Good." He turned to the nav computer. "All of you set course for the rendezvous on Mandalore. Wait there."

Clyde threw him a confused look. "Where are _you_ going?"

Xel's expression changed subtly, a small smirk gracing his features. "To find myself a Hand."

A small groan of displeasure came from Alen. "I hope you know what you're doing, _vod_."

"Me too," Xel admitted.

Minutes later, he watched them all shoot off into hyperspace and took the same route a moment later, stopping once he reached the Hoth system, then adjusting his course in a different direction. As the hyperdrive locked in and charged, he sent a holomessage on a heavily encrypted channel to an extremely exclusive frequency, getting a coordinate ping back half an hour later. A surprised flash passed over his features before a small frown came to his face.

_Well I'll be damned. She's finally come home._

…

Coruscant/Imperial Center

A young woman with fiery red hair sat slumped over the counter of a tapcaf, mug of something in hand, her senses on only partial alert. Which is why she didn't know she wasn't alone until the stool on her left was pulled out, a familiar armored figure taking the seat. He tapped the counter twice, getting a shot of something cheap but strong and downing it in one gulp. She didn't even look at him, her expression unreadable but with a hint of brooding. A full minute later, she spoke.

"It's been a while."

"So it has. Just over a year, by my recollection."

Silence.

"How'd you find me?"

"I have my resources."

"I'm sure you do." Silence. "What do you want?"

"To take you up on that mug of caf." He motioned at hers. "Though it seems you beat me to it."

She snorted, still not making eye contact. "And why now?"

"I've been a little busy."

"So I've heard."

"Likewise."

"From whom?"

"Oh, just people."

Mara Jade's jaw clenched as she finally showed emotion, glaring into her mug. "What do you want, Xel?"

He sighed. "Ironic as this is, to help you."

She arched an eyebrow, still not making eye contact.

"Well, not you exactly. A rogue agent within your ranks is planning something that's going to breed a great deal of chaos for your beloved empire."

Mara's gaze finally turned to him with a disbelieving glint in her green eyes. "Last I remembered, you'd rather cut off your own arm than help the Empire."

He took another shot and waved her off. "It's a byproduct of my actual mission."

Her arms crossed. "Which is?"

Xel turned to face her fully. "The downfall of Ze'tam Gossed and what's left of Black Sun."

"And you believe one of ours is responsible for her prominence?"

"I know it. I can't say how, or who, mainly because I don't know the who, but the threat is real."

Mara cocked her head, expression unreadable again. "So what do you need from me?"

Xel took a deep breath. _Here goes._ "Complete, unfettered access to Imperial intelligence databases for one standard hour."

She stared at him for several seconds. "No."

He sighed. _Yep, knew that wasn't gonna work._ "Fine. Then you search them for me."

"For what?"

He leaned in closer and whispered. "Gazzorik."

She cast him a confused look.

"It's a codename for a location known only to a few within Gossed's organization, and I haven't the faintest clue which planet it's on, or even the region of the galaxy. I've got nowhere to start, and we've run down virtually every lead."

She arched a red eyebrow. "We?"

"Focus, Jade. Will you do it?"

Mara eyed him carefully, obviously trying to tell if he was lying. He laid his expression bare, _needing_ this to work.

"Fine."

Xel blinked hard, eyes fluttering in surprise. "You'll do it?"

"Yes."

His head tilted slightly. "Are you sure?"

"No, so shut up before I change my mind. Go to your ship and wait for me. I'll be back in two hours."

And with that, she abruptly left, leaving Xel with a gaping expression and a niggling feeling that something was wrong.

At the appointed time, Xel paced the bottom of his ramp, fingers nervously twitching against his blasters, as if he expected to be ambushed any second. He checked his forearm chrono.

_Damn it, Jade. She's ten minutes late._

A blast door opened at the far side of the hangar, and a shorter hooded figure stepped through, striding toward him with firm motions. He stayed where he was, tense as a high wire, until she stopped right in front of him and held out a data chip. He tentatively reached out, holding his hand palm-up and closing it around the chip when she dropped it. Xel inspected it for defects, explosives, and other potential traps, finding nothing.

He looked back to her. "So…that's it?"

"That's it."

He frowned. "Mara, what's wrong?"

Her green eyes flashed at him from under the hood. "None of your concern," she spat.

Xel leaned forward in concern, unfazed by her glare. "Something is bothering you. I can feel it."

Her glare intensified.

"Don't give me that look. It's practically radiating off you. Anxiety, frustration…fear. I didn't know you could _feel_ fear."

She snorted. "Newsflash, _schutta_. Nobody's perfect. Not even the Emperor's Hand," she added in a mutter.

"So you messed up and you're on thin ice."

Mara's gaze snapped up to him in surprise. She evidently hadn't expected him to hear the last bit.

"And my 'request,' if caught, could have cast more suspicion on you." He sighed hard and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. If I'd known, I never would've asked."

"Yes you would."

He shot her a hurt look at the coldness of her tone.

She sighed hard, softening a bit. "Look, Xel. I have my mission. You have yours, and you're every bit as passionate about it. To be honest," she smirked, "if you weren't willing to lean on a contact to further your goals, I'd be disappointed in you."

A flash of anger flew through his eyes. "You're not a contact, Mara. You're an ally. A colleague." He shrugged. "A friend, maybe."

Mara arched an eyebrow. "We worked together for one day."

He grinned. "Yeah, but it was a really long-ass day."

She managed a small smile. "True." A long moment of silence before she sighed. "I need to go. I have another assignment already, and I've already delayed too long."

He held his hands up. "I won't keep you." A gloved hand went to her shoulder, a frown tugging at his lips when she flinched at the touch. "Take care of yourself, all right?

Mara looked up at him.

"Stay alive." _K'oyacyi_, a traditional Mandalorian goodbye and phrase of encouragement.

Mara smiled and nodded. "You too."

She pulled away from his touch and made for the exit, hood pulled tightly around her features. A few rogue strands of red hair still escaped its confines, vanishing when she melted into a crowd of passing civilians. Xel smirked as he ascended the ramp of his ship, the engines already firing up thanks to Tor. The _Kandosii'tal_ left Imperial Center behind minutes later.

* * *

AN: And another one gone. I'm really trying to occupy space with less action and more development, since I decided to throw in a whole bunch of characters you know nothing about and as yet feel no connection to. Gonna be a lot of that in the coming chapters.

I hope you enjoyed this tenth chapter of season 3, and the Mara Jade appearance. I really, _really_ love her as a character, but I don't want to spoil her legend, so want to keep those appearances at a minimum. Again, a lot more flashbacks coming in the next arcs. And some downtime. I really want to fill in some of those past time-gaps, because they're necessary to understand all the vague stuff happening in the present. Might have to do some past-exclusive chapters. We'll see.

At any rate, please review this chapter at your leisure and pass the word on to your friends.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	50. Ghosts of the Past

Caden residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

Pelem adjusted the scope on his KiSteer sniper rifle, pointing it absently in Ytris' direction and miming a casual pull of the trigger. The Caamasi just shook his head and smirked, well used to his friend's antics as his eyes scanned over a holobook. Iola gave him a sideways look, shaking her head and returning to what she was doing, poring over a schematic for an intricate hormone implant system.

"Do you have those books in your robes?"

"At least one at all times," Ytris replied.

She looked over at him. "Are you serious?"

The Caamasi chuckled. "When have you known me to joke?"

"He's not kidding," Pelem added. "He really has no sense of humor."

Ytris tossed a nut at Pelem's head with surprising force, causing a small yelp and a glum slump into his seat. The roar of repulsor engines snapped them from their quiet camaraderie, all climbing to their feet and heading for the door as a familiar ship descended from the clouds. Alen was the first out the door, followed by Kael and Clyde, all three making their way to the nearby landing pad, where the _Kandosii'tal _touched down with a burst of dust. The ramp hit the deck a moment later, two armored figures stepping off. Xel clasped arms with Alen and gave him a one-armed hug, Kael embracing him tightly a second after they broke apart.

He arched a black eyebrow. "Didn't know you missed me _that_ badly."

She blushed slightly and stepped aside for her brother to shake his hand, ushering him toward the house with a nod.

"So," Ytris piped up, "not that we mind the locale-slash-scenery, but why did you send us here?"

Xel's expression sharpened. "To rest."

They all gave him a look.

"Are you serious?" Iola asked.

He nodded. "Deadly. There's little worse than fighting tired, and with how fast and hard we've been going lately, it's just a matter of time before one of us drops unconscious. Gazzorik isn't going anywhere, and now that I have a lead on where to find it, our search window's been narrowed considerably." He turned to his brother. "Alen. Take this." He tossed a chip into his ready grasp. "You and Iola find out everything you can on the region outlined in that data packet. I'll be in my room. As always, feel free to help yourselves to anything in here. This is your home as much as mine."

They all gave him smiles and nods.

"Hey," Clyde spoke up, following him into the hallway as he kept moving.

"Mhm?"

"Are you okay?"

He gave him a tired smile and nodded. "Yeah. Just wiped. Ready to get some shut-eye somewhere that isn't littered with weapon parts or bloodstains."

He snorted. "I hear that." Clyde eyed him carefully. "You sure there's nothing else?"

Xel frowned. "Just…been thinking."

"About?"

Xel ran a hand through his hair. "The past. The mistakes I've made, losses I've taken. Their sum is far from inconsequential."

Clyde frowned and nodded slowly. "I understand. Need to talk about it?"

He almost said no on reflex. Almost. Instead, Xel frowned and thought about it for a moment, hovering just outside his room and leaning against the doorway. A sigh passed his lips as he turned toward Clyde. "Yeah. I think I should."

Clyde nodded and ushered him inside, taking a seat not far from Xel's bed as the other man sat cross-legged on the mattress. The older man leaned his chin onto his clasped hands and nodded to Xel.

"Talk to me."

Xel sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. "Well…something that's really been on my mind a lot lately."

"What's that?"

"When we first became friends. Sort of. You know, training first and then…my well-intentioned pilgrimage."

"Oh. Yes, I remember. What _exactly_ happened afterward? I've asked Alen before and he either just hasn't had the time or patience to go into detail."

Xel snorted. "Then you better get ready, because this is a _long_ story."

Clyde grinned. "I'm all ears."

…

3 years ago

Athiss

6 months, 2 weeks ABY

Xel grit his teeth as he hit the deck once more, having been thoroughly trounced by his trainer while attempting to perform a more advanced Djem So technique.

"You're not nearly at my level, Xel. Gotta stop overstretching yourself."

The Mando sent Clyde a glare as he pushed himself upright and retrieved his lightsaber. "Again."

Clyde held up a hand. "I think we've had enough for one day. The core of Djem So may be aggression, but frustration leads to error more often than not, and I could feel yours from a mile away."

Xel snarled for a moment before taking a deep breath and calming himself. "Yeah," he conceded, "you're right." He wiped a hand over his sweaty forehead, breathing out hard and clipping his lightsaber to his belt.

"Hungry?" Clyde asked.

Xel nodded emphatically, still catching his breath. Minutes later, they marched up to a commissary-style building, Xel's eyes closing in ecstasy at the smells drifting from its side window. Clyde just rolled his eyes and grinned, following him inside.

"Okay," Xel called, "who is behind the controls of this kitchen, because whoever it is—" His voice cut off abruptly as his eyes went wide and jaw dropped halfway to the floor.

Standing behind an open flame, apron on their hips and tongue stuck out partway in concentration, was a familiar forest green-haired form. Xel sputtered and stared for a few more seconds before shaking himself free of his stupor and shouldering his way into the kitchen, much to the protest of some of the other students. He stopped right next to her, seeing a grin slowly come to her features and a halting finger stuck in his direction.

"And…done." She wiped her hands on a cloth and dumped it on the counter, finally turning to face Xel with a toss of her hair. A bright smile lit up her features. "Hey, shorty. How ya been?"

Xel immediately catapulted into her chest, embracing her tightly and not even blinking at the "shorty" comment. He felt the surprise from her as she held him back, his head tucked into the crook of her neck. A long, gentle sigh came from his throat as her hand carded through his black hair.

"I missed you," he said softly.

A low chuckle rumbled through her chest. "I can see that." She held him at arm's length, looking down into his eyes. "Just didn't know how much."

Xel stared back at her for a while, the "shorty" comment finally registering. "You grew."

She smirked. "Yep. Six-three, as of a week ago."

Xel blinked back a sting in his eyes, letting out a ragged laugh. "Guess I didn't know how much I missed you either."

Iola smiled widely. "We've got a lot to catch up on."

He nodded. "We do." He smirked. "And I think someone else will be happy to see you too."

"Oh, Alen? He already knows. Actually called me here."

His brows furrowed as he stepped back out into line. "Really? Why?"

She shot him a smirk. "Because of you, silly. He said you missed me."

Xel shrugged. "Yeah, like, _months_ ago."

"Better late than never, yeah?"

Xel turned toward his brother, the source of the voice, and grinned, shaking his head. "Yeah."

They clasped arms and hugged, pulling apart to get their food. Iola followed them to their table, her job done, and sat on one side of Xel, Alen the other, with an arm around the younger brother's shoulders. Xel smiled as they ate in comfortable silence, the sounds of life and smells of home surrounding them on every side. Minutes later, Xel had practically wiped his plate clean, and Iola took it for a refill without him even asking.

"I know how bottomless your stomach is," she teased.

He blushed a little and smiled at her as she left. His peripheral vision caught Alen watching her as well, and the Mando smirked as he turned to his brother.

"What the hell are you waiting for?"

Alen snapped toward him with a quizzical look on his face. "Huh?"

Xel grinned and prodded his shoulder. "When are you gonna get your head out of your _shebs_ and ask that girl out?" He nodded sideways at Iola.

Alen blinked hard, then blushed a deep crimson as he looked over at her.

"I mean, honestly. She's your copilot, friend; she showed you her home planet, which—correct me if I'm wrong—no one else in the _galaxy_ gets to see. I mean…you two were practically joined at the hip for months."

"But that doesn't mean that I—or that she—"

Xel arched an eyebrow. "Uh huh. So I'm just imagining the long looks you throw her when she isn't looking? Or the fact that after half a year, all you had to do was call her, and she was here immediately?" He grinned teasingly. "Come on, _vod_. I may be mostly clueless when it comes to women, but even _I_ can see the signs."

"B-but, I—"

"What are you two conspiring?"

Alen's ice-blue eyes went wide and face lit up red as Iola sat back down on Xel's other side. He quickly turned away, finding his mostly empty plate very interesting. Xel just tried in vain to suppress his laughter, shaking his head and getting to work on a second helping. His grin eventually dampened, though, when his mind wandered to the turn of the year, when he'd first arrived. He hadn't even left the planet since. Everyone had come to him. But there was one person in particular that he needed to see, one conversation he'd been putting off for far too long.

"Hey _vod_," he said suddenly.

Alen shot him a warning look with a glance at a bemused Iola.

Xel licked his lips. "Do you still have contact with Tobin and the Rebellion?"

The air instantly tensed.

"Why?" Alen asked.

"Because…working with Clyde, forging that partnership…it's reminded me that his isn't the only fence I have to mend."

The Jedi's eyes widened in realization, and he nodded, expression a little grim. "I'll see what I can do."

…

1 week later

Makrin Star, Bormea sector

6 months, 3 weeks ABY

The _Kandosii'tal_ touched down with an air of foreboding, many of the hangar technicians bustling about their duties without giving it more than a passing glance, but some stopping to stare in shock. When the ramp descended and a fully armored figure stepped off, everyone stopped and stared. Xel paid them little mind, wincing a little at the mistrust and aggression he felt from some of them but moving toward a side hallway, two rebel soldiers moving to either side of him as escort. Silently, they strode the halls and made their way to the nerve center, the intelligence hub for the entire ship.

One of the security guards pointed out a side room with several active terminals, Xel nodding and stepping through the door, then pulling his helmet off a moment later. The door slid shut behind him, and he just stood in place, staring at the figure at the far side of the small rectangular room. His fingers stilled over the terminal he was manipulating, slowly straightening but not turning to face Xel.

"Now." A low, bitter laugh, voice rough and gravelly. "Now is when you decide to visit. Almost a year after the fact."

Xel's lips pursed as he winced. "We need to talk."

He shrugged. "What about? You've already said all that needed to be—with your actions, that is."

His eyes closed. "I know what I did, Eran. I know I deserve every bit of ire you can spare for me, but I'm not here to ask for your forgiveness. I know I haven't earned it yet. I'm simply here to apologize. What you do with it is your business."

He snorted. "Will your apology bring my friends back?"

Xel sighed. "No."

"Then save it," he said in a snarl.

Caden threw his hands up and moved toward him. "Look, Riilos—"

"No," he repeated firmly, turning to face Xel.

The Mando stopped in his tracks and stared at him agape.

"You don't get to grandstand. Not here, not now, not ever."

Xel's eyes traced over Riilos' marred features. His face—what was left of it—was a rumpled, uneven mess of burn scars and cuts, his once-handsome features only a fraction of what they were before, the untouched skin comprising barely sixty percent of his face. His eyes, thankfully, were unscarred, but what was behind them carried every dreg of pain his body had no doubt felt that day. And he was channeling it all at Xel.

"You came here, wanting to make yourself feel better by trying to 'do the right thing.'" He sneered. "Well you've done it, so piss off." Eran turned back to the terminal and typed away.

"Eran," Xel said quietly, "I know that I've done horrible things. Things that few men in their right minds could possibly forgive. I know I haven't earned it, but give me a chance. I am _trying_ to do better. To _be_ better." He put a gentle hand on Riilos' shoulder. "Just give me a shot. One chance to make amends."

Eran snorted and shook his arm off, looking over his shoulder. "If you really wanted to make amends, you would've stayed behind, to die with those you abandoned."

Xel's lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "That wouldn't have helped anyone…because that's not what would've happened."

He turned to face Xel fully.

"Vader wanted me _alive_, Eran. If I'd stayed, he would have captured me, tried to turn me to his side." Xel frowned deeply. "I've learned much about the Dark Side since then, and I can now say with absolutely certainty that given enough time and effort, he would've succeeded." He sent a narrow-eyed look in Eran's direction. "So tell me, Sergeant. Exactly which outcome is better?"

He glared back. "The one that the last of my team gets to walk away from. And it's 'lieutenant' now." His features softened slightly, eyes reddening. "You know, I didn't blame you for Linn's death, thanked you for trying to keep her safe…because you didn't abandon her to chase your own damn vendetta. I guess we were expendable, though."

"No," Xel answered softly. "I was wrong, but at the time, I wanted to protect you. All of you. I thought that I could bring Vader down, and by extension, the entire fleet; but he had me outflanked and outthought from the get-go. We never stood a chance."

Eran stared at him. "And exactly what made you think that taking him out would end it?"

"A vision…from the Force. I saw Hypori happen _weeks _before the battle itself, knew that Vader was at the crux of it all, and I'd been training for the last two years with only one goal in mind: ending him."

"And despite all evidence that experienced Jedi_ Masters_ had fallen to his hand, you still thought you could win."

His jaw tightened. "Yes. Because I didn't abide by the Jedi's rules or code of restraint. I was using his own power against him, and I thought it'd be enough." He shrugged. "I was wrong."

Silence reigned over the room for a long while, Eran eventually speaking up. "So…what you're telling me…is that three thousand four hundred and fifty five people died…because of your hubris?"

Xel's eyes closed as he released a sigh. "Yes."

More silence. "Get out."

The Mando looked up—seeing no anger on Eran's features, only pain—and nodded glumly, turning for the door. He stepped outside as the door hissed open, looking back through it to see Riilos returning to his work, wiping at his eyes with his forearm. Another sigh came from Xel's throat as he moved away, the door closing behind him. Halfway to the hangar, a familiar figure intercepted him.

"Alen said you'd be along."

"Commander."

Hile Tobin arched a brow. "It's 'captain' now. Pretty much every survivor of Hypori got promoted in some capacity."

Xel nodded. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Sir? You're no longer under my command, Caden." He smirked. "You don't have permission to go all formal on me."

The Mando snorted and managed a small smile. "What do you need? Something tells me you wouldn't have just come down here for a social conversation."

Tobin frowned. "I'm afraid not." He sighed hard, waving Xel over to a nearby terminal. "The _Ghost_ and its crew is no longer under my command, but I still have tabs on them, since the _Star_ was re-tasked as an intelligence vessel to keep watch on our assets."

"What's the issue?"

"Two days ago, their crew was dispatched to the Bogden system to investigate reports of underground mining operations of rare materials, specifically crystalline formations that can be used for high-end lenses."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "For lightsabers?"

Tobin frowned and nodded. "And the crystals themselves. On a planet whose surface is constantly shifting, crystalline formations are constantly being formed and broken down. Doubtless a few of them could be used to form focusing crystals for sabers or blasters."

"So what happened?"

"We lost contact with them about a day in. Status unknown. Alliance Command would send someone to help, but after we were forced to abandon the Yavin installation, pretty much all our free agents were tasked for base location and establishment."

Xel frowned and nodded at the screen. "You want me to find and extract them."

"Yes, and find out what kept them from sounding off. The Specters are _legends_ among the Alliance's SpecOps personnel. Anything powerful enough to capture them is something we need to know about."

He nodded again. "I understand. Just one question." He turned to face Tobin. "Why me? Your men don't trust me, and with good reason, so why do you?"

"Alen told me all about your reasoning." Tobin smirked and snorted. "You think you're the first soldier to have made a bad call in the heat of battle?"

"No, but I'm the only one I know of to have sprung a trap that wiped out half a fleet."

"Not the only one _I _know. Trust me." He put a hand on Xel's shoulder. "The only reason they can't see past that is because they haven't seen and experienced what I have, all the way at the top of the command chain." He waved at the screen. "These are your friends. I trust you to do right by them."

Xel pursed his lips and nodded.

Tobin pressed a data chip into his hand. "This is everything you'll need to find them, I hope. May the Force be with you."

He nodded his thanks and headed for the hangar, taking off minutes later and opening a new channel. "Alen, get Iola and the _Shereshoy_. We have a mission."

"Got it." Alen froze and did a double-take. "Wait…we do? What the heck, man? You went over there to deliver an apology and left with a mission?"

Xel threw his hands up. "Not my fault. It was Tobin's idea, and I agreed."

Alen frowned and gave him a look. "You wouldn't have done that unless it was important. What's the mission?"

Xel sighed. "Seems Kanan and his crew got themselves into a spot of trouble, and the Alliance doesn't have anyone to spare to get them out."

His expression shifted instantly. "Well, why didn't you say so? Where are we headed?"

Xel smirked. "I _could_ tell you, but you're not gonna like it."

Alen shot him a look and a roll of the eyes. "Force…have it your way. Just send me the coordinates."

"Roger that," Xel answered, restraining laughter.

He shut off the link and plugged in the preassigned coordinates, feeling a familiar thrum of excitement flood his veins for the first time in months as a grin plastered to his face. The hyperdrive lever was pulled a minute later, and the _Kandosii'tal_ shot off into the blue tunnel of hyperspace.

…

Bogden

"Oh, _so_ charming to be back."

Iola smirked at her captain's almost whining tone. "So many memories from this place…" She slugged his shoulder. "Just like old times, right?"

Alen grumbled unintelligibly for a few seconds before Xel sidled up next to him in full armor. "Suck it up, _vod_. This is for Ezra and the others."

The Jedi sighed and nodded. "Let's get moving then. Their last known location is almost half a kilometer from here, and it's been over two days since that."

"You know," Iola teased, "it's kind of funny when the 'whisper-calm Jedi' has less patience than the 'bloodthirsty Mandalorian.'" She winked at Alen.

Xel laughed softly, laughing harder when he saw his brother blush once more. His smile faded completely when the coordinate location came within sight…what was left of it.

"Oh Force," Alen breathed.

Layer upon layer of fallen and shifting rock was strewn about the location like debris from a fallen starship. The _Ghost_ itself was nowhere to be found, though there were barely visible imprints where the ship's landing struts had taken its weight. Alen crouched by the marks, dragging his gloved hand against the ground and rubbing the dust between his fingers.

"What is it?" Xel asked.

The Jedi frowned and looked around. "The _Ghost_ wasn't left here, otherwise that landslide would've knocked it right off this plateau. There'd be skid marks." He waved at the imprints. "Someone _moved _it. Question is, was it Hera or someone else?" He moved and crouched again, near a long burn-mark on one of the rocks, dragging two fingers over its surface and closing his eyes.

His mind's eye erupted in images as he channeled the Force, blurry figures moving back and forth with erratic motions. His eyes opened a moment later as he bit his lower lip and shook his head.

"What?" Xel asked.

"The scene's too stale." Alen stood and faced him, waving at their surroundings. "Not enough latent Force energy to get a clear picture."

"Well, what _can_ you see?" Iola asked, approaching him.

His head shook slowly. "Not much. Just…movement, really. Can't even tell who's doing what."

Xel approached the burn-mark and tapped the side of his helmet. "This isn't ordinary carbon scoring. Something of extremely high heat and energy made this mark."

"Lightsaber?"

"Possibly." He pored over the rock for a few moments, then ignited his own blade and made a shallow slice through another section of rock, waiting a few moments, then inspecting the two marks. "Make that probably."

"So something attacked that was dangerous enough to make Kanan and Ezra pull their sabers." Alen closed his eyes and scanned the scene with Force Sight, opening them once more a few seconds later. "And whoever attacked was moving fast enough to keep pace with them."

"Which means?" Iola asked.

"It means the Force was probably involved," Alen replied. "That or cybernetically enhanced soldiers."

"Or droids."

"That too. Like the Magna-Guards of the Clone Wars." Alen sighed hard. "Either way, I don't think there's anything else we can learn from this place."

"Right," Xel sighed. "Let's get back to the ships. See if there's something in that file we missed."

The brothers turned around and headed back up the mountain, but stopped mid-step when they noticed Iola wasn't following.

"Oi," Xel called. "_Iol'ika_! What's up?"

Her eyes narrowed at the horizon, hair twitching slightly and flapping in the wind.

"Iola?" Alen called.

"There's something off about this place," she said quietly, nearly inaudible in the wind.

"Okay?" Xel asked. "Any ideas?"

"Something's wrong with the wind. Almost like…there's something diverting it."

"I don't understand," Alen said, approaching her side.

"I'll second that," Xel added.

She waved at the horizon. "The wind is coming from that direction, caused by uneven heating of the planet's surface, so technically it should be hitting us directly from a single direction." Her hand went up into the air, hair flowing in curvy waves, almost like seaweed floating on the surface of water. "But right now, it's hitting like a glancing blow, from two separate directions. Almost like—"

"Water flowing around rocks," Alen finished. He approached the edge of the plateau and closed his eyes, reaching out with his hand and the Force.

"_Vod_, what are you thinking?"

"Something highly unlikely, but strangely possible. Reach out with me. Pull at the air in the distance."

Xel gave him a sideways look but complied, closing his eyes and reaching out telekinetically. This lasted half a minute before he spoke again. "Whoa."

Alen gave him a look. "Yeah, yeah, you feel that?"

The Mando nodded. "Ideas?"

Alen's eyes narrowed, a sly smirk coming to his lips. "Hows about we poke it?"

"Poke it?" Iola asked, confused. "Poke what?"

Alen and Xel drew their lightsabers—all of them—and ignited them in tandem. Three blazing swords were thrown in slight arcs, twirling while in motion and slicing through the air over a great distance. About five seconds later, they hit something. Sparks and charred metal flew from the sabers as they arced back, the air they made contact with sputtering and flashing with a hazy silhouette.

"Again!"

They threw their blades once more, at a different point, lower this time, and were rewarded with increased sputtering and the gradual but eventual revelation of a thick, tower-like building stretching up from a giant fissure in the planet's crust.

Iola's jaw dropped in sufficient shock. "_That_ wasn't there two years ago."

Alen snorted with a smug air. "Like I thought. Cloaking device."

He could feel Xel frowning behind his helmet. "Not that the Empire doesn't have the resources to produce that kind of tech, but why here? Bogden is a backwater world with too much instability to be considered for any kind of permanent base, and yet there that thing sits." Xel waved at the tower.

Alen frowned. "It's a mystery that's not gonna lend itself to answers while we're stuck out here. Let's get back to the ships, find a way inside."

…

20 minutes later

"Are you sure you two want to go in alone?"

Xel nodded to Alen, who answered her. "Yeah. Someone has to stay with the ships. Not that I don't trust Tee's brain to see them to safety, but I'd rather have someone with a body onboard. You know, just in case they need to pull us in in a tight scrape." He smirked. "Besides, it's been a while since Xel and I worked together. It's high time we rekindle that flame."

"Roger that," Iola replied over intercom as they stood poised on the ramp of the _Shereshoy_. "Be careful, you two. And you especially, Xel."

He pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Yes, you. You've been out of the field for over half a year now. No matter how much is drilled into you through habit and practice, there are bound to be a few things that slip through the cracks."

"I'll watch his back," Alen said. "Don't worry."

"All I can ask for," she conceded.

The ramp lowered over a small hatch about five feet by eight, allowing the Mando and Jedi a distant look at it. Alen raised a hand and closed his eyes, envisioning the door's locking mechanism and pouring the Force into it. About fifteen seconds later, it slid open with a hiss.

He smirked at Xel and waved down the ramp. "After you."

Xel drew his pistols, WESTAR-35s with modified plasma gas chambers for variable firing modes. He turned them to single-shot and kept the gas consumption at moderate. If there were any Imperials in this installation, these things would punch right through their armor with one or two hits. The twins proceeded down a dimly lit hallway, the lights undamaged but intentionally dimmed. Xel wondered at it. Imperials invariably preferred near-blinding lighting.

_Probably so their stormtroopers can actually _see_ something for once,_ Xel mused with a smirk.

The Mando nodded to his brother, motioning him forward. Alen moved with a nod, Bryar pistol at the ready.

"That's new," Xel told Alen, motioning to his current attire.

The Jedi smirked and glanced down at his clothes. "A lot changed in the months I was gone." He rapped his left knuckles against his chest. "This was once worn by one of the Jedi that discovered Jeros. Figured it was more practical than just having a chest piece."

Xel smiled. "I approve."

Alen was decked out in an extremely non-traditional Jedi uniform, a set of short, dark brown robes with a black undersuit and various plates of polished white plastoid, the chestplate painted mostly navy blue with an unpainted section resembling the winged symbol of the Jedi order. Its surface was made even darker by the dim lighting of the facility, which Xel wasn't sure was intentional.

_Could be that the tectonic shifts are causing power fluxes._

Suddenly, a blast door slid down and locked in place behind them, sealing their exit.

_Or it could be a trap,_ Xel thought with a sigh.

Both brothers pressed themselves against opposite walls, the jutting metal supports of the hall serving as cover as they scoped out the area ahead. Xel angled his helmet's antenna forward, his helmet's integrated macrobinoculars and infrared sensors coming online to compensate for the lack of light.

_No heat signatures. No movement._ Xel's eyes narrowed. _Something's not right._

He glanced over at his Jedi brother, seeing the older boy close his eyes and focus, blaster held loosely in his right hand as his left stretched out into the distance.

"_Vod_, what are you doing?"

Alen's lips pursed hard, eyebrows scrunching together in concentration. "This hallway isn't what it seems." His ice-blue eyes flew open in alarm. "Xel, block it out!"

Xel stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"Your eyes, _vod_!" Alen raised his blaster. "Don't trust them!"

Xel reached out to the Force and closed his eyes, focusing hard, then opening them a moment later as he felt the same, both blasters flying up and firing twice. Two shouts bounced across the hallway as the silhouettes of stormtroopers dropped to the floor. The sounds of E-11 rifles rang out and bolts began crisscrossing the space between the opposing sides.

"What is going _on_?!" Xel yelled across the gap, laying down suppressing fire. "It's like the enemy's behind a one-way mirror!"

"Same cloaking tech, I'd guess, just on a smaller scale!" Alen shouted back, tagging two troopers with solid center shots.

"But it's hiding them from thermal imaging too."

"You sure about that?" Alen asked between shots. "Could just be their armor. Climate-controlled and weatherproof. You ever actually tried picking up heat signatures on stormtroopers?"

Xel thought hard for a moment, pumping a few shots toward the enemy. "Not really, no."

Another yell, another downed trooper.

"Why do they keep de-cloaking on being shot?"

"Well I'll be…they're using portable stealth field generators."

"What now?"

Alen snapped his head away from incoming fire. "Belt-mounted cloaking devices, but more advanced than I've ever seen. Allows them to remain cloaked even when firing."

Xel's eyes narrowed as his antenna angled forward again. "Doesn't cloak their shots, though."

He focused hard, aiming carefully, then unleashed an automatic burst from his pistols just as two E-11 shots were sent their way. Another stormtrooper went down, Xel noticing for the first time that their armor wasn't white, but black.

_Shadowtroopers,_ he thought with a small shiver. _Last time I faced them was—_

His eyes slammed shut as he shook his head and tried to block out the memories of that prison, failing as they bombarded his every sense. Almost half a minute passed before he realized several things. One, that his hands were shaking uncontrollably. Two, his breathing was elevated far above the normal rate. Three, Alen was shouting at him, but Xel could hear nothing. Another firm shake of the head, and he managed to refocus on the present, his senses returning all at once and nearly sending him into shock with their intensity.

Clenching his teeth against it all, Xel gripped his blasters tightly and dashed into the hallway, unwilling to stand by and pumping red plasma toward the enemy like no one's business. Feeling a sharp tug from the Force, he slammed shoulder-first into an armored figure, right hand firing at another blip on his Force senses. The black-clad body of a shadowtrooper hit the deck as Xel holstered his pistol and went for his knife, feeling his head snap back when the trooper he held materialized in front of him and head-butted him solidly. Xel drove a _beskar-_armored knee into his lower chest, then flipped him over his shoulder as two blaster bolts smacked into his back.

The rapid-fire of a Bryar pistol cut down another shadowtrooper while Xel grappled with the one in his grasp. The man recoiled from a knife swing to lunge back in with a palm-heel to Xel's chest and a shin-kick to the side of his knee. The Mando collapsed to a crouch with a grunt, bringing his arms up to block a top-down punch and counter with an upward knife-swipe that scored a gash in his chest armor but didn't pierce deep enough to do damage. All around him, troopers fired and fell to Alen's suppressing onslaught, Xel tangling with the trooper in his grasp and managing to toss him against a nearby wall.

A jump-kick to his chest smacked him back into the surface, and a jab to the helmet sent the trooper reeling, followed by an underhanded stab toward his neck that brought the knife-blade deep into the wall, its edges horizontal. Xel growled and turned his hips as the trooper dodged the strike and twisted away, the _beskar_ knife cutting through the wall's material with an ear-splitting screech as the intended target ducked underneath. When the trooper rolled away and rose to a wide, crouched stance, Xel noticed the midnight black pauldron on his right shoulder, indicating his status as a commander.

The trooper's right gauntlet shifted to reveal a retractable vibroblade about nine inches in length. Xel's lips twitched toward a smirk before trembling slightly, his body tensing before he refocused on his enemy and twisted away from a lunge barely in time. The shadowtrooper spun clockwise to slash at his neck and follow with a roundhouse to his lower ribs. Only the first strike was avoided. Xel managed to parry two more swipes before feeling something in his chest give out, pain lancing through him and stealing his breath as it burned in his lungs.

The vibroblade detached from the man's gauntlet and slipped into his right hand, held underhandedly and ready to stab down through Xel's neck and spine. The Mando lunged upward at the last second, deflecting the strike with his left gauntlet while stabbing upward toward his chest. They grappled for a few moments before Xel shoved him backward, underhanded thrusts and swipes dodged and diverted as they traded blows, the commander managing to get the upper hand when he faked Xel out and drove an armored elbow into the side of Xel's head. The black plastoid took damage, but the disorientation that hit Xel as he stumbled back made up for it.

A horizontal slash nearly split Xel's neck open, but the Mando withdrew just enough to avoid it and countered with a lunging kick to his midsection. Xel ducked around a falling diagonal stab and sunk his blade into the man's thigh up to the hilt. Releasing the blade, he took advantage of the opening and grabbed the corner of the man's chestplate, using it and his forward momentum to haul him off the ground and dump him head-first on the floor. Disoriented and gasping for breath, the commander dropped his vibroblade and Xel kicked it away, pinning him to the floor with his left forearm while his right hand dipped to the knife in his leg.

"Listen here," Xel growled, breathing heavily, "and listen well. I don't know why your ilk is here, and frankly I don't care, but if you don't tell me where you keep your prisoners, I will make your remaining moments a living hell."

He belatedly sensed Alen sidle up behind him as the shadowtrooper just stared at him from behind his helmet.

"You _will_ tell us what we need to know," Alen said with a wave of his hand.

The trooper glanced at the armored Jedi, then back to Xel, and snorted derisively.

"Okay," Xel hissed through gritted teeth, "hard way it is then."

He reached down and twisted the knife, digging it in deeper and turning it in his thigh, peeling away both armor and flesh as the man underneath growled and hissed. His sounds of pain slowly but surely turned into mocking, bitter laughter. Xel's teeth ground together until he yanked the knife loose and tossed it aside, pulling the man upright and throwing him against a wall. He pinned him there with the Force, anger fueling his abilities as he drew closer.

Alen reached out and put a gentle hand on his arm. "Xel."

The Mando barely gave him a glance before reaching out and feeling for the man's mind. Wall after wall after wall was erected where surface thoughts should have been.

_Of course,_ Xel thought. _These _chakaare_ work for Vader and his ilk. Of course they've been hardened against the Force._ His teeth clenched. _Just means I'll have to push harder. _

His open hand twitched forward, and the trooper's head slammed into the wall, Xel's focus hammering away at his mental walls with little impact as his frustration and anger rose.

"Xel," Alen said firmly, interrupting his concentration. "Brute force won't get the job done. He's been trained to resist that."

Xel looked back at him. "Then what do you suggest?"

The Jedi's lips pursed, an uncomfortable frown creasing his features. "He's human. Humans always have weaknesses. You just need to find the chink."

The commander laughed mockingly. "Good luck, rebel scum."

Xel smiled malevolently and leaned forward. "Oh, we're no rebels. Rebels have restrictions."

He reached out once more, both physically and with the Force, this time probing at the wall, the constantly changing surface thoughts preventing him from digging any deeper. As he scanned the trooper's mind for any defects, however, one image kept popping up. Cocking his head unconsciously, Xel took a closer look at it, an image of a waterfall surrounded by leaves and flowering buds filling his vision. The Mando probed at it more, feeling a flicker of nerves coming from the man in his grip and assuming he was on the right track.

The more he focused on the image, the more it began to solidify, with various other senses filling in gaps as it resolved into a moving picture—a memory, as point of fact. The commander attempted to shift his thoughts away from it, but Xel forced the matter and snapped him back, jolting him enough to dislodge some of the supports of the larger wall. The image turned its focus, and belatedly, Xel realized that he wasn't alone in the memory. Two smiling faces came within his vision, both female and Twi'lek. One, a small child, leapt up into his arms with a grin, and the other approached to put her arm around his shoulders. They all looked out at the waterfall, the rushing of the water, the vibrancy of the surrounding flowers. A foreign feeling of elation swept through Xel, and he had to focus to keep his mental link from slipping.

Suddenly, the vision faded to another scene, a hologram of an Imperial officer speaking to him. The words were unintelligible, but the disappointment and conflict within him at whatever he was saying was clear enough. His vision shifted again, to a spaceport in a grassy, opulent area of a small city, alabaster white buildings all around him as he strode through what looked like the courtyard of a palace. A wave to the two Twi'leks as he boarded a _Lambda_-class shuttle, a stormtrooper helmet tucked under his arm.

The vision shifted again, Xel feeling massive apprehension and panic rising in the other man as the same emotions bled into his own mind to a lesser degree. Worry as an outgoing transmission wasn't answered. Anxiety as he strode into the mess hall of the Star Destroyer he was stationed on, the holonews documenting a story on the Rebellion's "control" of Alderaan. A sharp lance of agony and near-hysteria when he saw what remained of the planet as a result of an attempt to subdue the rebels. The breath left his lungs all at once, the burning in his eyes and chest too much to take.

His heart thudded in his chest like a drum, threatening more and more to explode by the second. Xel could feel himself screaming—or was it in the vision? He couldn't tell the difference anymore. All he knew was that the pain was unbearable. And then came the rage. Pure, unadulterated hatred for the bastard dissidents that had forced the Empire's hand, forced them to take such incalculably destructive measures. The helplessness and fury that drove him to fight harder, to end the conflict _now_, by any means necessary.

Because any war that mandated the end of an entire world wasn't a war worth fighting.

Xel's lungs burned and mind reeled as dual screams of agony filled his ears, the commander's, and his own. His dark blue eyes finally snapped open as he withdrew, both physically and mentally, dropping the man to the ground. Xel's helmet came off as he stumbled against a nearby wall, chest rapidly expanding and deflating as he fought the urge to heave. The shadowtrooper, evidently, didn't have that kind of restraint, probably because those were _his_ memories Xel had forced him to relive.

When his helmet came off, the trooper was revealed to be a roughly thirty-year-old man with auburn hair and a long horizontal burn scar just above his left temple, presumably where a blaster bolt had grazed his face. Xel looked down at him with both guilt and pity, and eventually, he glared back.

"Y—Your family…"

The man's teeth ground together. "They died because of anarchist scum like you."

Xel's head shook rapidly as Alen looked between them confusedly. "The Empire killed them."

He hauled himself upright, leaning heavily on his undamaged left leg. "They would never have had to act if the Rebellion had surrendered, or dissolved, or—"

"No," Xel interrupted sharply, jaw tightening as he approached him. "The Empire made the unilateral decision to wipe out a world populated by _billions_. Any entity who is willing to do that for _any_ reason whatsoever isn't worth the loyalty of you, me, or anyone else with a working conscience. You _know_ that."

"No," he said uncertainly, shaking his head. "We represent order. We…" His hazel eyes blinked rapidly, unfocused. "I…" He looked down at his hands, horror filling his features.

Xel reached out tentatively, both him and Alen recoiling at the turbulent emotions rolling off him.

His fingers were buried in his auburn hair as he slumped against the wall, voice dropping to a whisper. "What have I become?"

Alen moved toward him and crouched down, concern written over his features. "What's your name, soldier?"

He blinked hard, then gulped and looked up at the Jedi owlishly. "ST-704."

Xel shook his head and huffed. "He asked for your _name_, _di'kut_."

The trooper looked at Xel quizzically. "I—I'm Quelos. Quelos Rist."

Both brothers' eyes widened, Alen speaking up. "Rist? As in House Rist? As in the legendary Alderaanian assassins?"

Xel gave his brother a glance. "That explains a lot."

Quelos kept looking between them. "Who are you people?"

"Just a couple of guys looking for their friends," Xel answered in a surprisingly soft voice.

"The rebels," Quelos supplied.

"Where are they?"

"I—" his vision became unfocused as he stared at the ground, pupils shifting haphazardly. "I can't."

Xel arched an eyebrow. "Can't or won't?"

Quelos' breathing rate increased, hazel eyes slamming shut.

"I think the answer is 'can't,' Xel," Alen said. "Look at him. _Feel_ him."

Xel closed his eyes briefly and reached out to the Alderaanian, feeling a maelstrom of emotions and thoughts, many of which felt utterly foreign. His eyes snapped open half in confusion, half worry. "What the hell?"

Alen drew closer to him, reaching out a hand and closing his eyes. "It's as I suspected. His mental resistance is a byproduct of some kind of Force conditioning." His ice-blue eyes opened again, looking back at Xel. "He's been brainwashed."

"How?"

The Jedi's head shook. "It's not unheard of among Sith servants. Far from it. I just didn't expect…"

"I let them do it."

The brothers exchanged a look, then looked back to the speaker confusedly.

Quelos looked up at them. "When they died…when Alderaan…I was so furious. I…wasn't thinking straight. I wanted to do more, _needed_ to do more, to keep that genocide from happening again."

"So you climbed the ranks," Xel said. "Distinguished yourself in combat trying to get the attention of your superiors."

He nodded slowly. "It wasn't long before the ISB and Imperial Command saw my potential and forwarded my name to the more…special divisions. Before I knew what was happening, I was ordered transferred out of my unit."

"And into 'Vader's Fist.'"

Another slow nod. "The 501st was my goal all along. Best of the best, the most elite soldiers in the galaxy." He shrugged. "Bit of a shock, being surrounded by mostly clones, but also…humbling. Knowing that among the entire population of the Imperial Army, I was counted good enough to be one of them."

"But it wasn't enough," Xel added. "You needed more."

"So when the opportunity arose, I chose to undergo a process that would increase my abilities further."

"You became a shadowtrooper," Alen said, "hardened against pain and any emotions that could decrease your performance in battle."

Quelos nodded slowly.

"But that same process took away your reason for fighting, made you into little more than a shell."

Another nod. "I didn't realize it until…until now. Never counted the cost." He stared at the ceiling. "I didn't know how much it would suppress." His eyes closed, liquid spilling from them. "I can't believe how much I'd forgotten." He looked to Xel. "Agonizing as that was…thank you."

The Mando nodded slowly and crouched in front of him. "My family was destroyed by the Empire too. I know your rage, the need to fight until there's nothing left." His eyes closed as the dismembered bodies of over a dozen stormtroopers filled his vision. "Trust me." He shuddered opened his eyes again. "I know. But closing yourself off from feeling will only make the problem worse. Tell me, Rist, is this really who you want to be?"

Quelos looked at the ground, mouth partially open. "I—I can't change it."

"But we can," Alen answered. "If you let us."

His gaze turned to them. "You're Jedi."

Xel nodded sideways at Alen. "He is. I'm not."

Alen shot him a look.

"Listen, this isn't our specialty, but we might be able to remove some of the mental blocks. Maybe enough to let you speak freely. If we do that, will you tell us where to find your prisoners?"

Quelos nodded, somewhat hesitantly.

Xel and Alen crouched and crossed their legs, the former feeling a chill creeping up his spine and looking around before frowning and focusing on Quelos. Several minutes passed as together, they walked him through one memory after another, things he thought he'd forgotten. Little by little, the walls started to crack and crumble, and after a while longer, they finally fell in their entirety. By the end, Quelos was laughing and crying simultaneously, slowly pushing himself upright as the tired brothers did the same.

"How do you feel?" Alen asked.

Quelos smiled genuinely. "Clear. I feel clear, for the first time in years."

"Good," Xel said with a small smile. "Now, your end."

"Of course." He reached over for his fallen helmet and pulled it on as Alen supported his bad side.

Xel frowned. "What are you doing?"

He activated his external vocabulator. "Re-tasking the other guards to other areas to clear you two a path. No one else needs to die if you can get your friends and get out."

The brothers exchanged a look, then nodded to him.

"Thank you," said Alen.

The shadowtrooper turned away with a return nod.

The twins followed behind at a distance, Xel's lips pursing hard. "Think we can trust him?"

"No," Alen admitted, "but I didn't sense any deception."

"He's been hardened against Force probing. We may have removed a few of the blocks on his memories, but that conditioning isn't completely gone."

The Jedi sighed. "I know. But we don't have much choice, now do we?"

Xel took a deep breath and slipped his helmet on. "Suppose not."

It was a mere three minutes (some of the most tense Xel had experienced in a while) and two floors down before Rist came to a stop. They halted in front of a black blast door with red circuitry running its length, the brothers giving the shadowtrooper a sideways look.

"Special detention," he said, answering their unspoken question. "This place was built to hold people like you."

Xel exchanged a look with Alen, tension rising within at the way he'd said that. Quelos keyed the door open with a security pass taken from his belt. Xel held out his hand expectantly, getting a cocked head from the shadowtrooper until he waved his fingers backward. With a jolt of realization, Rist placed the security key in his palm.

"Thank you," Xel said, tucking the device into his belt.

His right hand drew a pistol as he stepped through the door, Alen pausing behind him.

"You better get out of sight," said Alen.

Quelos nodded in reply. "Good luck."

They waited until the shadowtrooper rounded the corner, then exchanged a look.

"Trap?" Alen asked Xel.

He nodded. "Trap. Hundred percent."

The Jedi sighed in resignation. "Ambush or no…" his eyes closed briefly, snapping open a moment later, "this is the place. I can _feel_ a strong Force presence coming from within."

Xel frowned. "I don't sense anything."

Alen gave him a sideways look of concern. "You'll get there, I'm sure. For now, just trust me."

The Mando nodded and followed behind his brother as the blast door sealed behind them. The path before them was even darker than the labyrinth of hallways they'd just left behind, and if that wasn't bad enough, he couldn't sense whatever trail Alen was following. More than ever, he hated how deadened his Force connection had become. The trail, apparently, was short, because a mere minute after they'd entered the passageway, Alen came to a stop in front of what looked like a standard cell door. The encryption on its lock, however, was anything but standard, and Xel gently nudged his brother aside to insert Rist's security key.

As expected, the door opened with a satisfying beep and hydraulic hiss, permitting the twins inside. What they found was…unexpected, to say the least. Suspended in the floating restraints of a force cage—was an unconscious Ezra Bridger. Xel tentatively reached out with the Force only to wince when he felt the impact of recent pain. They'd been torturing the Jedi for information, though based on the lack of mental scarring, it hadn't been particularly effective. Apparently, they'd mistaken his youthfulness for weakness.

Xel smirked. _Good for you, Ez._

"Let's get him down," said Alen.

Xel nodded to him and looked around the room for a control panel, then shrugged briefly before igniting his lightsaber and slashing through the base of the projector, sending Ezra tumbling into Alen's grip. The armored Jedi checked his pulse and other vitals, breathing a sigh of relief and giving Xel a reassuring nod. The Mando released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, looking around the cell and jumping when a familiar voice startled him from the side.

"It's about _time_ someone showed up."

The brothers turned toward a far corner of the room, finding a shadowed female figure stuck behind the bars of a six-by-four enclosure, her arms crossed. She pushed off the wall she was leaned against and took a step toward them, fingers gripping the bars as her smirking face came into the room's weak light.

"Though not at _all_ who I was expecting. _Su cuy'gar, _Xel?"

Caden took a moment to stare at Sabine from behind his helmet, his mind registering that she wasn't simply saying hello, but asking the _Mando'a_ phrase in its literal form. "_Elek_,_ Sab'ika_. If only just barely."

She shrugged. "Hey, right now, I'll take what I can get. Now, do you mind?"

She motioned at the bars, prompting Xel to stride over and slash his saber through them diagonally, busting the main lock. The older Mando walked toward a crate in one corner of the room, cracking it open to reveal their weapons and armor.

"Sabine," Xel said as she started putting on her _beskar_, "you want to tell me what in _haran_ is going on?"

"Later," she said, voice distorted by the helmet now placed over her features.

This year's model of armor was recolored, still containing its overarching pink-slash-red-slash-orange color scheme, but with a few more embellishments, especially around the visor and pauldrons. In addition to that, the armor looked fuller and heavier than it had when he'd last seen her. As she straightened up, Xel kept his gaze firmly on the eyeslit of her t-visor, an expectant look to his posture.

Sabine sighed. "Look, I promise I'll explain everything _after_ we've left this place, but right now, we need to get moving before—"

Full-volume alarm klaxons sounded hard enough to hurt Xel's eardrums, even in the armor, and he absently wondered how the Empire expected its own stormtroopers to function with all that racket if _he_ was having trouble adjusting.

"Before _that_!" Sabine shouted over the urgent blaring.

Alen sighed as he slung Ezra's half-conscious body over his shoulder and stood upright. "Just when things were starting to go smoothly…"

* * *

AN: I'm back! It's been a long couple of months, but I've finally gotten around to writing more of _Kandosii'tal_. There's a lot left to go in this story, but with any luck, I'll be able to finish it all in one strike, and if not, then as usual, I'll give you guys a good let-off point.

Not much to say about this chapter in particular. I've been trying to knock off your guys' suggestions on the poll one by one, as you've seen, and apart from the Ghost crew, I've pretty much hit all the top fives.

The majority of these next chapters will be told in flashback form, as planned, so expect to be spending a lot of time in the past. I think I've finally figured out how I want the Athiss storyline to go, which is to say, heavily tied to the history of the Old Republic and Alen's ancestor. For those of you who are fans of TOR and KOTOR, I think you're really gonna like where I go.

At any rate, welcome back to _Kandosii'tal_. I hope you enjoy what comes next.

Drop a review at your leisure, and as always,

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	51. Demons in the Dark

Secret Imperial installation, Bogden

6 months, 3 weeks ABY

Xel took one good look at their suddenly darkened environment, letting the ear-splitting screech of alarm klaxons fill his awareness for just a second before he turned to Sabine.

"So…I'm guessing you _don't_ want to tell us what the hell is going on."

Sabine gave him an exasperated look he could see even through armor. "Not right this second!" She waved him and Alen, who was currently weighed down with Ezra, toward the single exit door. "So much for the element of surprise," she muttered as she keyed the door open and peered through, pistols at the ready.

"Yeah," Xel interrupted, "I think we about lost that when we engaged a half-dozen shadowtroopers in a drag-out firefight on entering."

He could hear the smile in her reply. "Well, _you_ two certainly haven't lost your lack of subtlety."

"Hey," Alen broke in, "wasn't _our_ fault you guys got captured and needed this rescue in the _first_ place. So, let's not look a gift bantha in the mouth, yeah?"

Sabine sighed and shook her armored head, not replying but opting to move into the hallway instead, Xel right behind her. They proceeded through the detention block as fast as Alen could follow while carrying Ezra, who was groaning and mumbling at an increasing rate. Xel reached the end of the hall first, poking his head through and recoiling immediately when red plasma lanced through its position, just barely missing him.

"Son of a—the _mir'osike_ beyond this door are all clustered together." He could _feel_ the grim excitement radiating off the other Mando.

"How utterly terrible of them," she answered in a decidedly sinister tone, tossing a pair of small (but extremely powerful—he knew from experience) thermal detonators up and down in her hands.

Grinning viciously behind his helmet, Xel gave her a nod and turned the dials on his pistols to fire full-auto, then popped out for two full seconds to deliver a burst of automatic plasma fire to either side as cover. Using his distraction, Sabine lunged out and swung her arms in a cross-toss, the small, ball-like explosives rolling across the slick duracrete floor to stop near the sources of enemy fire. A moment later, two identical explosions went off in tandem, sending white-armored bodies flying in different directions in various states of structural integrity.

Xel poked his head out again, looking from side to side, then giving Sabine an enthusiastic thumbs-up. With her return nod, the two Mandos stepped out into the hallway and ushered Alen forward. The Jedi gave them a brief frown and grunted with the effort of holding Ezra up, then shook his head rapidly.

"Yeah, nope. _So_ not doing this all day."

Xel turned back to his brother. "_Vod_, come on. It's not much further."

"And yet," Alen answered as he laid Ezra down and set him to lean back against a wall, "this would go a _lot_ faster if we had an extra set of legs and hands."

Xel sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Just make it quick."

Alen paid him no mind, closing his eyes and leaning forward to place a hand over Ezra's forehead and eyes. He focused in the Force, in a way that Xel could feel from a small distance away, but after ten seconds of no response, the Mando started getting nervous.

"Alen…"

"Just hold on."

"_Vod_."

"Patience is a virtue, Xel."

"Not today it isn't."

Surprisingly, _that_ particular comment came from Sabine, who holstered her pistols as she marched over to Ezra's unconscious body, yanked Alen back, and delivered a solid open-handed slap to the side of Ezra's face. His eyes and jaw flew open with a massive gasp, gaze unfocused and darting about haphazardly as his mouth ran a thousand miles a minute with incoherent fragments.

"WhothewhathappenedwhereamI?" Realization set in a moment later, as his expression shifted subtly in both recognition and resignation. He looked up at Sabine, then to the other armored Mando, and finally to Alen. His blue-black eyebrows furrowed and he bit his lower lip slightly. "I've missed something, haven't I?"

Sabine sighed and rolled back to checking the hallway.

Ezra put a hand to his stinging cheek, wincing when he felt a sore response flare up. "And you _slapped_ me."

"Had to wake you up _somehow_, dummy. Now get moving. You're slowing us down."

With a grunt of effort and a helping hand from Alen, Ezra stood up and took a moment to get his bearings. Glancing around, he breathed in deeply, then checked his belt, freezing for a moment on realizing his weapons were gone.

"Relax, Bridger," Sabine said, reaching into her explosives satchel.

Ezra's eyes widened in glee upon seeing two metal objects being offered to him. He reached out and took them, affixing one of them to his right hip while the other went to a clamp on the left his belt. Xel glanced back at him, eyebrows furrowing in confusion for a moment.

"What's with the other saber?"

The two Specters shot him a glance.

Xel nodded at Ezra. "I recognize the design from one of the schematics I analyzed to make mine. Never seen you with it before."

Ezra and Sabine exchanged a look, the former frowning deeply, then turning back to Xel. "Long story, which I promise to tell you as soon as we're outta here."

Suddenly, the entire building shook and rumbled ominously, leaving them all staring at the ceiling, as if expecting it to collapse on them at any time.

"Exfil," Xel said absently. "Right." Without taking his eyes off the ceiling, he pointed down the left side of the hallway. "Go. Now. Alen, lead the way."

Xel drew both pistols, checking the ceiling and hallway for any movement as the other three filed past him. He followed in close pursuit, all of them falling into dead sprints as Alen reached for his comlink.

"Iola, get ready to pick us up. We're headed to you now." A moment's pause before Alen slid to a stop and held his hand up to stop the others. "Iola?" Alen frowned at the static he received. "Dammit."

"They're jamming us," Sabine said.

"Yeah, I figured. We'll have to get her attention the old-fashioned way."

Sabine's body language visibly brightened. "My way?"

"Once we find the right exit point, yes. Come on."

The four began moving again, the barely-lit hallways serving as considerable points of worry for Xel as he continuously scanned their environment for movement.

"_Vod_, I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Quiet, Xel. Don't jinx us."

Xel snorted a laugh. "Didn't take you for the superstitious type."

Alen shot him a quick deadpan expression as they rounded another corner, then came to an abrupt stop. "Are you _kidding_ me?"

"Blast door," Sabine remarked. "Of course. Think you can cut through this one?" She drew a pistol from her hip and scanned the hallway behind them.

"Of course, but I think this wall…yes. Ezra, help me remove this panel."

Xel stood side-by-side with Sabine, covering their exposed flank, then glanced back to see Alen and Ezra focusing their powers on a wall next to the blast door. "Think you can hurry this up a bit? If anyone finds us here, we are _seriously_ screwed."

"Delicate work here, Xel. If we pull something out of place, we could have not only a blast door in our way but a half-dozen ray shields."

"Then why mess with it in the _first_ place?"

"Because the Imps use a networked power grid in some of their larger installations," Sabine interrupted. "More efficient that way. Lights, climate control, even security systems are routed through every single one of these. Find one power terminal, and theoretically, you can tap into any one of them."

"Doesn't seem very secure if you ask me."

"Hence—" Alen interrupted with a grunt of effort, "—the precautions."

"The tamper failsafes on these terminals are on a hair trigger," Sabine explained. "The slightest deviation can and will trigger a reactionary system against us."

"If this works," Alen continued, "we'll have access to everything—security doors, cameras, the works."

Xel's eyes widened slightly in realization. "And outside communications that won't be jammed."

"Exactly," his brother answered.

Xel turned back to the hall, blue eyes scanning the dark recesses of the base warily when suddenly, a heavy fog descended on his mind like a sheet of darkness, muddling his thoughts and obscuring his vision. His vision tunneled slightly and senses dulled considerably, as if he were on the verge of falling asleep. A sharp and forceful yank on his Force connection dispelled the sensation, but the experience nevertheless left him in a state of disquiet.

"Alen," he said, tone heavy and cautious, "we need to move. Now."

"Just a second—"

"No, _vod_. There is something out there, and it's _hunting_ us."

"Well no crap. We're in the middle of an Imperial installation surrounded by who knows how many stormtroopers and special forces." A soft metal clang sounded from Alen's direction. "Hang on. We finally got it open." A few sparks and a brief hiss of pain. "I think…just need to breach the network…got it!"

Xel turned around, marching over to his brother's side while Ezra took his place. The Mando glanced back to see the apprentice draw a modified DL-44 from his hip, then focused on Alen.

"Whatcha got?"

The Jedi's face paled slightly. "Uh…bad news."

One good look at Alen's gauntlet-mounted datapad alerted him to exactly what was wrong. "That's—"

"A two-thousand-meter drop? Yeah, I should think so. And Iola and the _Kandosii'tal_ are nowhere in sight."

"What about comms.?"

"Either they're jamming their own frequencies as well, or she's not in range. Either way, I'm afraid we can't expect any sort of help from her."

Xel snorted and rolled his eyes. "Perfect. Can you at least get this door open so we're not so exposed?"

Alen frowned and clicked a few functions on his 'pad. "Yep. Gimme a sec. Got it."

The large rectangular blast door slid open with a loud hiss, permitting the four inside its boundaries as Xel felt movement from behind. Snapping around rapidly, he frowned and scanned the darkened halls with his pistols, then moved on with the rest when they urged him to catch up. It was another two turns before his uneasy feeling subsided, and they paused to convene.

"Okay," Alen said, "here's the deal. We're suspended about a mile in the air, the plateaus that used to be near us have collapsed due to tectonic shifts, and the one set of backup we had is terminally out of contact. Add to that the fact that we're completely surrounded by Imperial troops and that all the exits are completely locked down, and we're pretty much dead in the water, stuck here."

"And even if we _could _blow a hole in the side of this rig," Xel added, "make our own entrance, there's nowhere for us to go except down. If, by some miracle, I'm able to find some safe landing area, my jetpack can still only manage two of you at once, which will leave the third person _stuck_ here while an army of angry Imperials descends on the breach location."

"So…basically we're screwed," Sabine concluded.

"Maybe not," Alen replied half-absently, staring down at his gauntlet.

Xel arched an eyebrow behind his helmet. "Alen?"

"Gimme a sec. I'm still tapped into their intra-intel network—schematics, manifests, the like. Most of it is heavily encrypted, but if I'm not mistaken…well I'll be."

"What?" Ezra asked.

Alen's face brightened up in a grin as he looked at them. "I found the _Phantom_."

Sabine and Ezra exchanged a look.

"You mean the Specters' jump-ship?" asked Xel. "That's _great_."

"Yeah, uh…it would be," Ezra said hesitantly.

The brothers shot him a look.

"Except, well…"

"The _Phantom's_ engines took a pretty bad hit when we tried to escape," Sabine finished. "I didn't get a close look at the damage before we blacked out, but it did _not_ look good."

"You have any better ideas?" Alen asked with a shrug.

The older Mando sighed hard. "No. And I'm loathe to leave it here either way. We'll have to take a look," she shrugged, "see what we can do."

Xel nodded to Alen. "Lead the way, _vod_."

The Jedi focused on his 'pad, leading the head of a hastily assembled wedge formation, with Xel and Sabine flanking the still-drowsy Ezra. Xel shot him a sideways look. Whatever they'd pumped into his system must've been _powerful_ for it to still be affecting him. Based on what he'd heard about Imperial interrogations, that was most likely the case. And the fact that they knew they were dealing with a Jedi…

Shaking those thoughts away for now, Xel focused on their environment and the fact that the lights had gotten even dimmer since their entry. A faint noise was heard from behind, and Xel snapped around to point one pistol toward its source.

"Xel?" Sabine asked. "What is it?"

Caden frowned and lowered the weapon as they kept moving. "Nothing good."

He could feel the same drowsy tunnel vision creeping up on him and it was making him want to start firing indiscriminately into the darkness.

"Alen, any way we can speed this up?"

"Xel—" the Jedi started irritably.

"No, Alen," Ezra interrupted, "I feel it too. Someone or something is actively trying to blind us in the Force. Someone skilled at avoiding detection."

"You mean another Force-user?"

Xel snapped toward his brother. "You mean to tell me you don't feel that?"

Alen gave him a look as they paused briefly. His head cocked for a moment before he shrugged. "No. Not really." And he just kept moving.

Ezra and Xel exchanged a look before following him. Two more corners were turned, and then Alen came to an abrupt stop.

Xel glanced at his brother. "_Vod_, what are you—"

_Snap-hiss_.

Xel's eyes widened as Alen's blade sprang to life, his brother's ice-blue eyes glaring coldly into the darkness.

"I know you're there," the Jedi said threateningly. "Try to hide all you want, but you can't pull the wool over _my_ eyes."

A low chuckle sounded through the hallway as—seemingly out of nowhere—a black-armored female form materialized from the shadows of a dark corner and stepped into the center of the chamber, just twenty feet from the rebel squad.

"My, but you _are_ a perceptive one." She struck a pose. "I'm impressed, truly."

Alen kept his lightsaber at his side, nonthreatening but at the ready all the same. His eyes never left her helmet's faceplate. "You're an Inquisitor." It wasn't a question.

"Bravo, got it in one. You're a Jedi." She glanced between Alen and Ezra. "_Two_ Jedi, as point of fact."

Alen smirked nastily. "And _you're_ outnumbered."

Her head tilted to one side. "Oh, I wouldn't speak too soon if I were you. Someone as perceptive as you are should already know…" She took a step back and squared her shoulders, seeming to grow more imposing. "Appearances can be deceiving."

A sudden bang sounded from behind, and a vent cover hit the tiled floor as another black-armored figure, this one male and bearing roughly the same body shape as Alen, dropped in on their other side.

Alen barely shot him a glance over his shoulder. "You're still outnumbered," he pointed out.

"For now, maybe," the male said with a grating voice. "But the troops of this station have been alerted to your presence and will be arriving to deal with your friends any minute now."

"Then we'd better make this quick," Sabine said. She turned to Ezra abruptly. "Lothal Maneuver?"

Ezra smirked. "Thought you'd never ask."

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the Mando tossed her partner a pair of small thermal detonators, taking two herself. As one, they threw their explosive payloads into an exposed power conduit on the side with the female Inquisitor, causing a massive rupture and overload that shook the hallway. As the two Specters were expecting this result, both were able to stay on their feet without stumbling and pumped shots toward the male Inquisitor while running toward the female. Alen and Xel followed suit, the former charging at the female and twirling his saber toward her head.

She ducked his strike in the nick of time, but was so distracted with him that she failed to see Xel coming in with a _beskar _-plated shoulder charge that laid her out on the deck. No words were exchanged as the rebels and their rescue team sprinted down the hallway, Alen powering down his saber to reach toward his gauntlet 'pad. A few clicks later, and a blast door shut between them and the Inquisitors.

As they rapidly approached an intersection, Xel slid to a stop and spoke. "Whoa-whoa-whoa—hold up."

The others stopped and faced him.

Xel jerked a thumb at the door. "That thing isn't gonna hold them for long, and chances are they weren't bluffing about reinforcements."

Alen and Ezra exchanged a look, the former speaking up. "So?"

Xel frowned. "If you can disable the Imperials' security cameras, blind them to our movements, I can lead them away from the hangar, buy you and the others some time to get the _Phantom_ up and running."

Alen gaped at him.

"We can't let you do that," Ezra said.

Xel checked his pistols and set them to full-auto. "I wasn't asking."

Ezra took a few steps toward him. "I _meant_ that we can't let you do that _alone_." He looked back at Alen and Sabine. "Do you guys think you can fix the _Phantom_ by yourselves?"

The Jedi and Mando took a long look at each other.

Sabine answered. "Assuming that the damage can be fixed by what we have on hand, yeah, I think we've got all the expertise we need between the two of us."

Xel's head snapped back toward the blast door when two burning points of red pierced its surface. He twirled his pistols backward and faced the door with both armed and ready. "Then get moving. We'll stall them, give you as long as we can."

"Xel…" Alen said hesitantly.

"Just send the schematics to my rig and stay in contact with our bond. The moment you're ready to lift off, we'll be there."

Another second or two passed. "All right. Just…be careful. Both of you."

"You got it," Ezra replied with a cocky smirk.

They both turned toward the door, Ezra aiming his gun-saber with both of Xel's pistols trained on the rapidly forming hole.

"And Ezra—" came a filtered female voice.

He turned around just in time for Sabine's left hand to grip the back of his head and gently tap his forehead against hers. Xel stared at them the whole time as Ezra's face went red as an exploding star.

She shrugged. "For luck."

Alen and Sabine were gone seconds later.

Xel kept staring down the hallway until he turned to Ezra. "Did she just—"

"Yeah." Ezra turned back toward the door with some effort, re-aiming his weapon.

Caden got his stance again and glanced at the Jedi. "So when did that—"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

Xel sighed and shrugged. "Fair enough."

With that, the molten-rimmed plug in the door flew out into the open air, and the hallway descended into chaos.

…

Present

Caden Residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

Clyde and the rest of the Knights listened with rapt attention as Xel suddenly fell silent, his best friend staring at him full-on, one hand on his chin.

"Okay," Kael spoke up, "one thing's bugging me."

Xel arched an eyebrow at her. "Hm?"

She shuffled toward him and leaned forward on the back of her chair. "You were out of the game at this point for what, like half a year?"

"More than that, actually."

"Right, so, what made you think it was a good idea for you to confront two highly trained Imperial operatives—with Force powers?"

"Last time you'd fought an Inquisitor, you barely survived," Clyde pointed out.

Xel shrugged his arms defensively. "I_ did_ have backup, you know. And he _had_ tangled with the Inquisitors and come out on top. _Multiple_ times, as I recall."

"But still…"

Caden arched a critical eyebrow at the siblings. "Are you gonna keep questioning my life decisions from three years ago or listen to the story?"

The Dansens exchanged a glance, then looked down apologetically.

Xel grinned and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "So half the door shoots out at us…"

…

3 years ago

Secret Imperial installation, Bogden

No words were exchanged as Ezra and Xel dove for opposite sides of the hallway, a molten-rimmed durasteel plug flying just past them and skidding across the floor, leaving behind a trail of glowing metal particles in its wake. Xel rolled to his feet, boots sliding across the glossy flooring with a quiet squeak as he stayed crouched in a wide stance. Two glowing red blades illuminated the smoke-filled gap in the blast door as their owners stepped through. The Mando's head cocked upon seeing the designs of their sabers—only one of them was the circular rotational double style he'd seen with Inquisitors.

The other, well, he had the same type of lightsaber—on his back—but he wasn't using it. Instead, he had a shorter lightsaber in his right hand and—

_Snap-hiss_.

—a second, identical one in his left.

_Well,_ Xel thought as he aligned one pistol with the pair, _that complicates things._

"What do you think, Four?" the male asked from behind his mask. "Would the younger one make a good candidate?"

"Four" cocked her head at Ezra curiously. "Not enough to keep alive."

The Jedi took affront. "Excuse me—you _do_ know _he's_ the younger one, right?" He pointed dead at Xel.

The Mando shot Ezra a pointed glare through his visor (for some reason, it didn't phase him as much as Sabine's). "Hey!"

Four chuckled. "I apologize, my mistake. But with a face like yours, who could tell, really?"

Xel arched an eyebrow behind his helmet, surreptitiously holstering his left pistol and reaching for the hardcase on his left hip…

Ezra seemed to catch onto what he was doing and adopted an offended glare as a result. "Are you calling me a babyface?"

"More or less."

"But he has a _helmet_ on. It's not fair."

The male Inquisitor audibly sighed. "Four, are we seriously having this conversation right now?"

She ignored him pointedly. "I know who you are, Ezra Bridger, and let me tell you, your face hasn't changed much since you landed on our radar. Speaking of which—"

The instant Telia's lightsaber dropped into Xel's hand, Four activated the second blade of her propeller lightsaber and threw it straight at him. Eyes widening, Caden reacted on instinct and ignited the green saber in an underhanded grip, deflecting the incoming weapon and forcing it into a return arc.

Four gave a satisfied snort. "Thought so. I think you were right, boss." Her head tilted sideways as her voice smoothed and dropped an octave. "Perhaps the younger one _is_ a good candidate."

"Why do I get the distinct feeling she's hitting on me?" Xel asked his companion.

Ezra just made a groaning noise and shook his head warningly. He stopped short when something registered. "Wait, _boss_?"

Without another word, both Sith assassins surged forward, Four engaging the spin function of her lightsaber and charging toward Xel as the male crossed over to attack Ezra. Both Force-users fired their weapons, but the Inquisitors' deflects didn't slow them down a bit, and within two seconds, they were right on top of them. Ezra's blue lightsaber activated as Xel holstered his pistol and brought Telia's into a horizontal deflect. Two overhead strikes were shunted aside and countered with a slash at her midsection. Xel glanced to the side to see Ezra jumping and flipping around the male's shorter blades, the Inquisitor's lightsabers moving so fast, he could barely keep track of them.

Xel deflected two strikes to either shoulder, deactivating Telia's lightsaber and rolling sideways when Four swiped at him diagonally. He slipped the green blade back into its hardcase, left hand focusing on a metal panel at her back while his right flicked his other hardcase open. Her propeller blade engaged as a ringing _snap-hiss_ split the air, stopping a spinning strike that would've taken his left arm off at the shoulder. A loud whine filled the air as their sabers locked, Xel managing to hold her back just long enough to tear the panel loose. It slammed into Four's back a second later, forcing her to lose her footing and stumble forward.

He shunted her double-blade aside and head-butted her solidly, cracking one side of her faceplate. He grabbed her by the throat and was about to use his crushgaunts to shatter her windpipe when a push from the Force warned him about something coming from behind. Xel tossed Four aside and rolled left without hesitation, just in time for a short red blade to lance through his last position in a stabbing motion—without anyone attached to it. The lightsaber shoto returned to its owner as the male locked both blades with Ezra's and used his superior physique to push him back.

Momentarily distracted, Xel didn't see the kick coming until it slammed into his chest, sending him flying back into the tiles. He rolled with the motion, sending himself into a backwards handspring and getting upright in time to deflect a flurry of attacks from Four, the double-blade just as annoying as he'd remembered the one time he'd survived the Grand Inquisitor—one of them, anyway. With a flick of his wrist to his left hip, he drew his pistol and fired right as she was making another swing, managing to land a glancing hit on her side. The Inquisitor's armor deflected the shot, but the shock of actually getting hit forced her on the defensive.

Pushing his advantage, Xel lunged forward and used his superior height and physical strength to repeatedly batter her defenses.

"Four, switch!"

Suddenly and without hesitation, Four leapt backward and corkscrewed through the air, landing a falling vertical strike on Ezra's defenses and following with a snap-kick that impacted his left shoulder. The male rushed toward Xel, pouncing on him like a manka cat and forcing him to withdraw from his first flurry of strikes. As a point of fact, Xel's defensive strategy against this man soon consisted of backpedaling _exclusively_. His strikes were just too fast to track, and the shortness of his blades made them difficult to block and counter. Xel ducked under another swipe and twisted away from the Inquisitor, attempting a stab but getting a jumping back-kick to his chest.

The blow sent him back into a wall and partially winded him, opening him up for a diagonal slash that carved a deep gash in the wall when he twisted away. Blunt and saber strikes rained down on the Mando from every side, Xel practically running away at this point as he was forced to rely on his armor to keep him alive. Gritting his teeth, Caden focused in the Force and lunged forward suddenly, amid the top arc of the Inquisitor's next double strike, and slammed his armored shoulder into his chest, knocking him back three full feet. The assassin recovered quickly, but Xel was ready this time, with only one hand rather loosely holding his lightsaber.

Smirking behind his helmet, he waited until the Inquisitor came in for another rapid sequence of strikes, then turned his right side to face his opponent. With a rapid snap and turn of his wrist, he executed a counter-clockwise double spin behind his back, deflecting both the Inquisitor's blades and opening him up to a twirling strike aimed at his neck. Surprised, the assassin barely managed to duck the slash in time and shifted his shotos to an underhanded position. Xel leapt back as soon as he saw what the other man was doing, but didn't get far enough away to avoid two shallow scorch-marks on his lower chestplate.

Boots skidding against the slick floor, Xel stood his ground and angled his saber toward the lead Inquisitor, glancing back to see Ezra similarly facing off with Four. The two younger men exchanged a look, then fired simultaneous Force Pushes—at each other's opponents. Unprepared for the sudden crossover, the two Inquisitors flew diagonally into separate walls, stunning them long enough for Xel and Ezra to book it down the hallway.

"Do you have a plan?" Ezra asked rather breathlessly.

"I thought this _was_ the plan."

The Jedi shot him a look, then shook his head and cast a look over his shoulder to see four red blades following them. "Well, we're certainly keeping them busy. Let's hope Alen and Sabine are having more luck."

…

"_Haar'chak_!"

Alen frowned at Sabine. "Language."

She cast him a withering glare. "_Usen'ye_."

The Jedi rolled his eyes and snorted. "I know that one too."

Sabine said nothing else, preferring to refocus on the half-fried circuit panel currently sitting with its guts exposed to the open air as she tried to replace the busted pieces. Alen, meanwhile, was busy rewiring the system to work around a charred junction that they didn't have the parts to fix. He gingerly lowered a fuse into a rather spotty connection he'd managed to solder into place. He couldn't tell if it was gonna hold long-term, but it didn't really need to—just until they could escape to the _Kandosii'tal _and _Shereshoy_. Sabine's use of Mando curses was due to the outright deplorable state of the _Phantom's _critical systems.

The dual power converter system she'd installed to prevent short-outs like this was completely baked—probably because the Imperials used a high-power ion cannon to disable the ship—the engines were actively leaking what little fuel they had, the cannons were disconnected from the main computer, and the communication system had been skewered by a large piece of sharp debris Ezra had shunted from Sabine's direction during the crash. Add to that the fact that the _Phantom_ was currently hanging off the edge of the main landing platform nose-down (the Imperials had been in the process of moving it when the alarms went off and the whole base went on lockdown, disabling the gantry system) and Alen had one highly stressed, emotionally volatile Mandalorian woman to manage.

The fact that she lacked any kind of Force abilities gave him _zero_ comfort.

Alen frowned in concentration and gently soldered another connection, a sudden spark and mini explosion drawing Sabine's attention and concern.

"I think I just fixed the comm. system," he said.

Sabine gave him a skeptical look, then reached over and attempted to power up the comlink (a system they'd had to jury-rig to a backup circuit board).

"I think."

When nothing came, not even static, they noticed that the gaping maw of a pit just beyond the front viewport was partially illuminated.

Arching an eyebrow, Sabine gave him a snarky look. "Well, at least if we fall, we'll be able to see our death coming."

Alen sighed and got back to work, noticing a bit of tension in the suddenly silent air. He stopped momentarily. "Sabine?"

"Yeah?"

"They're gonna be fine. I can feel Xel now, and he _is_ scared, but confident."

She sighed and bowed her head. "I know. They're not who I'm worried about."

Alen's eyes widened slightly. "Hera and the others."

Sabine nodded, plunging her arm back into the panel. "The first time Kanan was captured by Inquisitors, he was shipped to an Imperial facility on Mustafar for processing and execution. We managed to rescue him before they landed." She froze for a moment. "It's been too long since we were ambushed. What if they—"

"They're alive."

She looked up at him—literally. "How do you know?"

Alen's lips pursed as he turned back to the tangle of wires. "Because Ezra didn't feel Kanan's life get snuffed out. As long as that bond is there, we have time."

Sabine took another moment or two to look at Alen before nodding and getting back to work.

…

Xel and Ezra slid to a stop in a two-level storage room after a full two minutes of dead sprinting, checking their backs and surroundings in alarm.

Ezra breathed heavily for a moment. "Did we lose 'em?"

Xel nodded raggedly. "Think so. At least for now." He breathed out hard and leaned his hands on his knees. "Look…I don't think we can survive another direct confrontation with them. Not at the same time. They know we're serious now."

Ezra's head cocked slightly. "I got the feeling they were just toying with us."

Caden nodded again. "So, I say we go looking for them."

The Jedi arched an eyebrow. "I thought the point was to get _away_ from the Inquisitors."

"No, the point is to give Sabine and Alen enough time to fix the _Phantom_."

"And if they're not chasing us, they're figuring out where we'd go," Ezra said, catching on.

"If they find those two before they're done, we're _all_ dead."

Ezra frowned, but nodded. "So what's the new plan? We fight 'em on our terms?"

"No," Xel replied, brandishing and reloading one of his pistols. "We separate them. Find the Inquisitors, get them to chase us, then split off in separate directions."

"And how long do we keep running? Until we collapse of exhaustion?"

Xel shrugged and turned toward the hallway behind him when he heard movement. "If that's what it takes. Intra-base comlink frequencies should still be working, at least at this distance, so I'll let you know as soon as my brother contacts me."

Ezra gave him a nod, then turned to face the approaching sounds and ignited his gun-saber. Xel followed suit with one pistol drawn and his other hand holding his lightsaber. Their ready stance was disrupted when an adjacent door on their other side hissed open, permitting not one, but _two_ new black-clad figures. Both had lightsabers.

"Are you _kidding _me?" Xel hissed, head whipping back to the hallway as the two original Inquisitors came into view and stopped some short distance away.

Boxed in on either side, Ezra had no response except to reach to the left of his belt and draw the other lightsaber, the pair going back-to-back. A green blade rang to life in Ezra's left hand as Xel thumbed the firing mode on his drawn pistol to full-auto and lined up the sights with the lead Inquisitor, who had set aside his shotos for now and defaulted to his currently inactive rotating lightsaber.

"What are your orders, Grand Inquisitor?"

Xel and Ezra tensed in tandem as the others all looked to the lead male.

The helmeted man cocked his head to one side. "Kill the Jedi. We've been interrogating him for hours without success, and he obviously won't be turned, if his history is any indication. Subdue the Mandalorian for further study."

"Further study?" Xel asked incredulously.

"Understood," the other three answered in tandem.

The four Inquisitors ignited their sabers as one, approaching from all sides and zeroing in on them without slowing down in the slightest. Xel looked around rapidly, trying to figure a way out of this, then looked up.

"Grab my hand, now!"

Ezra nodded in understanding and stowed his left saber as his hand went back to snag Xel's left forearm. The Mando triggered his jetpack an instant later, rocketing them straight upward as two Inquisitors leapt for them in tandem. Ezra swung his blade wildly, batting their strikes away, and released Xel as soon as they were positioned close enough to the room's upper catwalks. The Jedi and Mando split the moment their feet hit the deck, dashing in opposite directions as the hum of approaching lightsabers grew suddenly louder. The telltale whir of rapidly spinning blades reached Xel's ears as he took his fifth rapid step, a brief backward glance revealing a large helmeted Inquisitor practically riding his back.

So focused was he on outrunning the large behemoth of a man behind him that he didn't see the incoming crate until it was right on top of him. Attempting a duck, the edge of the crate still clipped his shoulder hard, sending him tumbling onto his side. Suddenly vulnerable, Xel ignited his lightsaber and swung madly at the incoming Inquisitor, missing his legs as the much larger figure leapt over his strike. He came down with a falling knee that would've done some real damage if Xel hadn't twisted away a split-second earlier. Deactivating and reactivating his saber on either end of the roll, Xel rose to a crouch in a horizontal guard stance, one hand on his saber and the other pressed against the wall for support.

His larger opponent pressed the attack, lunging for him with his propeller saber active. Xel rolled backward and withdrew by the step as he was pushed back, absently aware that a third Inquisitor was coming up behind him. He took a deep breath and focused in the Force, feeling his surroundings begin to slow and give him extra time to plan his next move. His dark blue eyes snapped open, and suddenly, Xel lunged his empty left arm forward, eliciting a start of surprise from his aggressor as he made contact with the telltale hiss of a lightsaber impact.

The large humanoid stared in open shock when he looked down to see his rotating saber at a full stop—with Xel's left hand wrapped around the upper blade.

The Inquisitor looked up just in time to snap his head away from the worst of a rising diagonal strike, but the blow still took off a good portion of his helmet, revealing black, hairless skin underneath. A single orange-colored eye glared at Xel from behind what was left of the faceplate, and then a large armored fist collided with the Mando's midsection, knocking him half a foot off the ground. The Inquisitor followed with a devastating side thrust kick that sent him flying across the catwalk, into the waiting and ready arms of the female Inquisitor they'd first encountered.

Xel struggled against his live restraints, but with his feet partially off the ground, he couldn't produce much leverage. A glance to his right revealed Ezra being beaten back by two Inquisitors at once, the male identified as the Grand Inquisitor and the one who'd entered the fight alongside the giant—who Xel now believed to be Sakiyan. Speaking of which…

Xel reared up to deliver a drop-kick to the Sakiyan's chest once he got within range, focused as he was on restraining Xel. The impact also sent the female Inquisitor stumbling backward, giving Xel opportunity to use his body's now-elevated position against her. Coiling his legs up, he grabbed her forearm and swung his hips downward, snapping his whole body with the motion and using all 190 lbs of flesh, bone, and armor to throw her off balance and flip her over his shoulder. Her back hit the deck hard, winding her. Xel twirled his inactive lightsaber into an underhanded grip and activated it as he stabbed downward, just missing her neck as she rolled away.

The Sakiyan surged forward, roaring in rage, and pounded Xel's waning defenses, driving him back by the foot until he glanced back to see himself steadily being backed into a corner. Twisting around a stab, Xel made to swing for the Inquisitor's neck, instead finding his rear blade in the way and a shin driven into the side of his leg. Collapsing to one knee with a yell, Xel put his blade up in a horizontal block, just stopping a falling vertical strike but leaving himself open to another hard kick to the chest. He slid a full eight feet before coming to a stop, lying back on his jetpack. Crawling backward with labored breath, his mind raced in near-panic as he glanced around, looking for any advantage.

Ezra was on the other side of the room, holding his own but tied up. There was nothing within range, no debris or escape route. And his only way off this catwalk was through the two Inquisitors facing him. His left hand twitched slightly as the pair steadily approached, the Mando leaning back and raising his left arm a moment later. His fist angled downward and clenched in a particular motion, and an instant later, a micro-rocket shot from his gauntlet, spearing toward the Sakiyan faster than he'd be able to dodge at this range. In a flurry of rage and instinct, the massive Inquisitor flicked his empty hand upward, and as a result sent a telekinetic wave that redirected the missile.

Into a cluster of machinery hanging over Xel's head.

He barely had time to angle his body right and lunge backward before it fell like a tidal wave. The rush and impact of metal on metal was the last thing he knew before everything went dark.

…

Ezra glanced toward Xel and the other Inquisitors the moment the explosion went off and watched helplessly from the other side of the room as his friend was buried under several hundred pounds of metal. For one painfully long moment, the room was deathly silent. And then that silence was broken by a furious voice.

"You _fool_!" The Grand Inquisitor had his ire angled at his taller compatriot. "I ordered you to _subdue_ him, not crush him!"

The massive Inquisitor's free hand was clenched in a fist, his exposed eye glaring at his superior venomously.

The Grand Inquisitor sighed hard, head down and shaking. "I suppose what's done is done." His faceplate turned back to Ezra. "Now, where were we?"

Ezra paid him no mind. His entire gaze and focus were on Xel's immobile body. He could just make out an armored gauntlet peeking out from under the tangle of machinery and debris, and it wasn't moving, but as he reached out in the Force…

Ezra's dark blue eyes widened slightly, turning back to the approaching Sith and narrowing in steely determination for about a second. And then he turned and ran, leaping from the catwalk to book it out of the storage room. His lighter frame, plus the Inquisitors' staggered response, allowed him to outrun them for a time and lead them on a merry chase throughout the halls before he looped back to the storage room and leapt to Xel's side. He pulled at the debris uselessly for a moment before taking a deep breath and focusing his power on lifting it away one piece at a time. A flicker of warning in the back of his head alerted him to the approaching Inquisitors, but his focus narrowed to the task at hand, and for a while, he began making some headway.

Until the ominous hum of four lightsabers filled the otherwise empty room as they eyed him from below.

"It's over, Bridger," said the Grand Inquisitor. "If you surrender, I will make your death quick and painless."

Ezra paid him no mind.

"What do you hope to accomplish? Do you have any idea how much that debris weighs? If his armor didn't collapse on him, his skeleton certainly did."

The Jedi said nothing, just kept focusing on moving the debris.

"Your friend is dead," the Inquisitor said gravely. A small click was heard from his direction. "If you wish to join him in the same way…so be it."

A whir and rush of air prompted Ezra to open his eyes and look in its direction. His jaw dropped halfway when he saw a magnetic detpack attached to the support structure of the ceiling above him. It detonated a moment later, sending double the debris crashing down on them.

* * *

AN: So, we're about halfway through this story arc. The reason I'm spending so much time with this (aside from the fact that as I've said before, I FREAKING LOVE REBELS) is that we're not going to be seeing the _Ghost_ crew for a long time, probably never again—in this story, anyway. Yes, that means that season 3 will likely be the end of this obscenely long story. It's going to be a long season, lots of story arcs, especially in the flashbacks. Well, that and season 2 was kinda short chapter-wise.

Not much to say about this arc except that I know I've been really pushing the lightsaber duels this season—like, a lot. Though I know saber-wielding—or Force-using—opponents weren't traditionally common during this period, as the SWTOR fans out there have probably already guessed, Xel and Alen are modern-day blood ties to a bygone age when the Sith weren't merely rumor and legend, but a clear and present danger to peace and order in the galaxy. That, and I've always considered said duels some of the Star Wars franchise's most epic and redeeming aspects. Just the idea that in a world of guns and starships and so much advanced technology, a couple of guys with swords of frozen light are still some of the most feared individuals in the galaxy—that's freakin' _AWESOME_.

Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to more.

Please review and recommend this story to your friends. Smash that favorite/follow button with a vengeance!

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	52. Phantom Flight

Secret Imperial installation, Bogden

6 months, 3 weeks ABY

The human once known as Gerell, leader of the Imperial Inquisitorius, stared at the tangle of metal on the catwalk above him and frowned behind his helmet, shaking his head in resignation.

_What a mess._

The Fourth Sister spoke up suddenly, getting his attention. "Sir, we still have two rebel fugitives unaccounted for."

He turned to her. "I can only assume they're looking for a way off this station."

"But all our hangars are locked down," noted the Tenth Brother, a slightly shorter Advozse.

"Not necessarily," replied the Grand Inquisitor as he stalked toward the exit. "We impounded their jump-ship here after shooting it down. If they can get it operational, they might have a chance at escape."

"They won't get away," Four hissed.

"What about the Jedi?"

The question came from the Sakiyan First Brother, whose very _existence_ grated on Gerell's nerves.

In response, he turned toward the debris and snorted disdainfully. "Aside from Lord Vader, there is no single man in the galaxy who could hold up that much weight indefinitely. If he isn't dead already, he soon will be."

…

Alen's eyes and mouth widened in shock and alarm as he froze suddenly, breathing becoming labored.

"Alen?"

The Jedi just kept heaving.

"Alen, what's wrong?"

His eyes downcast, he stared blankly into infinity. "I'm…it's…" his head shook rapidly, "Xel and Ezra are in trouble."

Sabine went stiff below him. "We need to find them." She reached for a hold to pull herself toward the exit hatch, but Alen stopped her with a hand.

"No. We need to get this ship operational. If we don't, none of us are getting out of here alive."

"I'm not going to leave them!"

"Of course not. But I'd rather have our escape route set before we go off on a rescue mission they may not even need for a longshot at blasting our way out of here."

Sabine glared at him with a scowl.

Alen sighed. "Sabine, I love Xel more than life itself, but I know that he and Ezra can take care of themselves. Even if we do find them and bring them back, the Inquisitors will have figured out our plan by then and destroyed the _Phantom_. And if by some miracle they haven't, and we arrive before they do without a working ship, we'll have to hold them off while you finish the repairs alone…and then it'll just be a matter of time. I _don't_ like those odds."

Sabine kept frowning, but nodded eventually, turning back to her work.

Alen sighed harder, closing his eyes and stretching out over his bond to find the other end silent and deadened. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, Alen took a breath and refocused on the repairs.

…

Meanwhile in the storage room, a massive pile of twisted metal and duracrete groaned and sunk lower and lower every minute. Only one thing prevented it from collapsing on itself, and that was the unfailing focus of one Ezra Bridger, whose body was tense and teeth clenched against the strain of keeping up that much debris. Both palms pointed upward, the energy flowing from them holding back the torrent. A single ray of light peeked through a gap in the tangle and illuminated just enough for Ezra to see an armored gauntlet just beyond the mess of collapsed machinery next to him.

He stretched out with the Force as the debris above sank just a little lower. Gritting his teeth against the strain, Ezra pressed his mind against Xel's and spoke.

"Wake up."

The groan of the falling metal echoed Ezra's groan of stress. His lips stopped moving as the strain became too much.

_"Xel. Wake up."_

…

Alen stopped his repairs mid-movement and looked up from his panel suddenly.

Sabine sensed his tension. "Alen?" Her voice was even edgier than before.

The Jedi's lips pursed hard as a feeling of resignation set in. "Sabine, whatever you do, don't stop working."

"What are you—"

"The moment you have this ship operational, I want you to blast a hole in that wall and get out of here."

"Alen, what are you talking about?"

He shot her a firm look as he climbed toward the exit hatch, pulling a dark brown hood over his features. "Just. Do it."

Sabine stared at him for a moment before looking out the side of the viewport, eyes widening in alarm. "Oh _shab_…"

Alen climbed to the top of the _Phantom_, standing with legs at shoulder width and crossing his arms.

Four Inquisitors approached the middle of the platform below, currently the entrance of the hangar, some looking a little worse for wear. The one in front stepped away from the others a little more and cocked his head curiously.

"So," he said in a metallic voice, "you're the one who detected us."

The Jedi just stared at them.

"I must admit, I'm rather impressed." He started pacing, hands clasped behind his back. "Faced with four of us at once and the knowledge that your allies are likely dead—you show no fear." Alen could hear the smile in his voice. "And I'd thought that I would never get the privilege of fighting a true member of the Jedi Order."

Alen turned his nose up at them. "You fought Ezra, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "True. But the Bridger child was a late starter, an inductee, if you will. From what I understand, Alen Li-am, you were _born_ into the Order."

Alen's eyes widened. "You know who I am."

"I do. And I'm less than eager to kill you, knowing what you're capable of."

The Jedi smiled nastily. "You have no _idea_ what I'm capable of. Whoever gave you my file must've known about my brother as well. Tell me, do the rest of your Inquisitors have the same knowledge?"

The leader's backup shifted in place and shot him a look.

"Or did you send them in blindly?" Alen nodded toward the largest one. "I can see _that_ oversight is already taking its toll."

The leader stiffened for a moment before breaking out into bitter laughter. "You're trying to divide us, pit us against each other with mistrust, but what you fail to realize is that mistrust is our way of life. You give us nothing we haven't already. And on that note, I'll request that you surrender. I know you plan to use that ship to escape, and that one of your compatriots is currently inside performing repairs. Your posturing was a good bluff, Jedi, but I knew you were stalling for time. And you just ran out."

Alen sensed tension in Sabine just below him, feeling a little of the same seep into his own body. He took a long breath and let his eyes flutter closed as he opened himself to the Force. Barely two seconds later, his ice-blue eyes slid open, locked onto the four Sith assassins below him.

And then he just smiled.

His voice dropped almost a full octave, just barely loud enough to be heard. "Who said I was bluffing?"

The Inquisitors all took a reflexive step back and ignited their sabers, having no choice but to feel the overwhelming confidence being exuded by their Jedi target. Speaking of whom, Alen just kept smiling, eyes narrowing in cool determination as his left hand drifted down to his hip. He tossed the fabric of the robe behind him, right hand falling to the now-exposed lightsaber and gripping it firmly. Drawing it from the clip, he held it one-handed at his side, pointed diagonally downward.

_Snap-hiss_.

A blazing sapphire shaft shot from the weapon, its tip just off the surface of the ship. He swung it into a two-handed ready position as his legs shifted to a staggered battle stance, his weight balanced on the balls of his feet. The Inquisitors held their lightsabers high and at the ready, spreading out across the platform. Alen's body coiled up for a moment before he leapt from the _Phantom_ with a roar of fury. The Jedi angled his body directly toward the leader, coming down headfirst with a vertical strike. The lead Inquisitor recoiled and angled his lightsaber in a horizontal block, deflecting Alen's falling strike.

The Jedi used the impact to pivot his body forward, flipping behind the Inquisitor and jumping again as soon as he hit the ground, dodging two thrusting strikes at once in the process. He twist-flipped through the air, immediately falling into a double-block and corkscrew dodge as all the Inquisitors rushed him at once. He deflected a stab to his left, letting his larger opponent charge past and kneeing him in the side of the ribs with his right leg. Pivoting with the movement, Alen made a shallow swipe at the female's head, then hooked the tip of his blade around the shaft of the shortest Inquisitor's blade as he charged in, sweeping it out and up to open him up for a sweeping kick.

Alen never once stopped moving, either as the lead Inquisitor ditched his propeller saber for a pair of shotos, or when the largest assailant attempted to bear hug him from behind and received a flying roundhouse to the face, further widening the gaping hole in his helmet. Eventually, that Inquisitor just got tired of it and tore his helmet off, revealing the black, slightly bulged head of a Sakiyan underneath. Alen withdrew to a relatively safe distance and began trading blows with the Sakiyan and lead Inquisitor at rapid speed. The other two Inquisitors moved in, forcing Alen on the defensive as they practically chased him across the platform. Closing his eyes, the Jedi took a single deep breath and gave himself to the Force.

One strike flowed into the next as Alen shunted their attacks aside—into each other. The Sakiyan's wild, power-driven style made him vulnerable to a duck and deflect that sent his horizontal blow into the guards of the short and female Inquisitors. The leader leapt for Alen with a flurry of vertical and diagonal strikes, but Alen's superior reach allowed him to keep his distance until the right moment. He countered a double stab with a one-handed wing block that led into a clockwise spin to bring the saber into a thrusting position. Leaning on his back leg, Alen extended his arm fully, aiming for the Inquisitor's left shoulder. Only a rapid drop and roll on his part kept him from being skewered on the Jedi's blade.

The other Inquisitors, having recovered, all began to move in as Alen put both hands on his saber and squared off with them.

"Wait!"

The Inquisitors snapped toward the leader.

Alen could hear the smile in the lead Inquisitor's voice as he slowly spun his sabers and paced to join the others. "I underestimated you; assumed that your age, or the lack of it, would hamper your abilities. She never mentioned how talented you were with a blade."

Alen's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who's 'she'?"

His head cocked slightly. "No matter. He's a Form II practitioner, meant to fight one opponent at once. However, its techniques can also be applied to redirection and distraction. Attacking all at once is foolish." He pointed his right-hand saber on either side of Alen. "Take him in sequence, prevent him from using your attacks against each other. Focus on technique rather than brute strength. He's been fighting stronger opponents all his life. He _knows_ how to use your power against you."

The Jedi's teeth clenched hard as his grip around his saber tightened.

_Xel, Ezra, you better hurry your asses up. I can't keep this up forever…and there's something…different about this Inquisitor._

…

Ezra strained under the weight of well over a ton of metal and duracrete, his concentration and strength ebbing by the second now as his mental fatigue mounted. His teeth gritted against the pain, mind reaching out to the inactive one just below.

"Xel…Alen…Sabine…they need you. _We_ need you. I can't lift this on my own, and even if I could, just two of us against four Inquisitors is _not_ a good situation."

Nothing happened except the debris collapsing another couple inches.

Ezra's eyes slammed shut as he reinforced his mental efforts, pushing his telekinetic field back and raising the debris slightly. He took a deep breath, relaxing his body as much as possible and gently brushing his mind against Xel's, unable to even move his lips anymore.

_"I know why you wanted to stay behind. It's not because Alen was more qualified for repairs than you. You wanted to face them…_needed_ to face them. I know that feeling, Xel. The feelings of guilt and helplessness at not being able to save the people who matter most. I've been there. I went down the exact same path as you. And the results were just as disastrous. It took me a long time to move past it, time and family. You have both. It's one thing to forgive yourself of wrongdoing. It's quite another to see the consequences of your mistakes in the people around you."_

The debris sank down again. Ezra grit his teeth and spoke both mentally and verbally. "You need to know, Xel—you need to know that I understand, that I don't blame you for any of it. Neither does Sabine, or Kanan, or Hera." He slowly reached down with one arm and gently wrapped his fingers around Xel's gloved hand. "We forgive you. _I_ forgive you. So come back. Come back and help us finish this."

Ezra's jaw tensed as the debris sank a little lower. His grip on Xel's hand tightened.

A sudden thrust stabbed gently at the edge of his consciousness.

And the center of the smaller debris pile below exploded, a hole at the site of the eruption permitting an armored arm, the end capped with a clenched fist. The fist slowly expanded, fingers splayed outward, and like the flick of a switch, the weight on Ezra's mind became so much less, just enough that he could manage. A smile came over his features as they pushed together, and the light became so much closer.

…

_Too close,_ Alen thought as he slid under a horizontal slash that nearly took his nose off at the root.

Upon rising to his feet, the Jedi swept his lightsaber from side to side, prompting the two corresponding Inquisitors to engage in rapid parry maneuvers before engaging their propeller blades like shields. Alen backed away rapidly, too focused on the approaching Sith to see the kick coming from his left. It collided with his collarbone with a glancing hit, and he felt something move as pain exploded in his shoulder and he was thrown to the ground. Groaning in pain, Alen pushed himself halfway upright before catching sight of the leader's incoming blade and barrel-rolling away nearly to the edge of the platform.

The female charged in with a rapid double-strike, one overhead, one under, parried rather sluggishly by the Jedi in a way that left him open for follow-up from the Sakiyan, who sent him flying toward the opposite end of the platform with a Force Push. He collided with a recovery roll and clambered to a coiled crouch position, eyes narrowed and blade ignited at his side. His hood had long since flown off, revealing roughly ear-length brown hair and icy blue eyes locked onto his four opponents. Since beginning the fight, his fatigue levels had increased by startling margins, and he knew he had about sixty seconds before he collapsed from the mental and physical strain, _maybe_ ninety, if he really pushed himself.

Utilizing that much Force power to bolster his skills and reaction time was a dangerous move against four highly trained opponents, but then he'd always known this was just holding action. As the four Inquisitors steadily advanced on him, and the _Phantom_ at his back, he readied himself for the final push. Which was when he noticed the Sakiyan cock his head slightly, eyes flickering to the ship. Alen's eyes widened in alarm when he realized his intentions, and he leapt just a moment before the Inquisitor threw his spinning lightsaber at the support gantry.

"No!"

With that final cry of fury, Alen swiped the Sakiyan's blade out of the air, saving the _Phantom_, but leaving himself open to a strong Force Grip that tightened around his torso and brought him slamming chest-first into the platform. The impact knocked the wind—and all remaining fight—directly out of him. Alen had barely pushed himself to his elbows when the Sakiyan kicked him down again, planting him on the deck.

"Okay," Alen coughed. "Yeah…I'm done."

"Yes," growled the leader, "you are." He motioned to the Sakiyan, who hauled Alen upright by the back of his collar. The lead Inquisitor examined Alen with a critical eye for a moment before speaking. "Yes…I think she'll have great fun breaking you."

Alen stared at him dead-on, then let his eyes flicker over his shoulder. He smiled just widely enough to be noticed.

The lead Inquisitor did. "Does that excite you somehow?"

The Jedi chuckled. "Sorry. I was just giggling in anticipation."

He grabbed Alen's throat. "Anticipation of what?"

_Snap-hiss_.

All Inquisitors snapped toward the entrance door, where a glowing blue shaft instantly drew their attention to a silver-blue armored figure stalking toward them with one empty fist clenched.

"Get—your hands—off—my—brother."

_Snap-hiss_.

A second blue blade joined the other as a brown-orange-clad young man strode up to the left side of the Mandalorian.

Ezra smirked dangerously, saber held high. "What he said."

At the sight of his brother, Alen's body felt a renewed surge of energy, and he suddenly saw an opportunity to exploit the Inquisitors' current distraction. With a rapid repositioning of his legs and a burst of Force power, Alen used the Sakiyan's knees as the springboard for an upward corkscrew jump that sent him rocketing from the platform's surface to its opposite end, on Xel's right. Still grasping his lightsaber, Alen added the blue light of his blade to that of Xel and Ezra.

…

Contrary to his posture and tone, Xel wasn't angry as much as he was worried. There were four Inquisitors between the three of them and the _Phantom_, and between injuries and fatigue, none of them were operating at full capacity. Add to that the fact that Sabine _still_ hadn't fixed the ship yet, and they were in very, _very_ deep water. Well, that and the Sakiyan had already attempted to kill her and all chance of their escape—and based on his impetuous combat style was likely to do so again. In complete silence, the Inquisitors approached and charged the trio, eight blades on three—which soon became eight on five when Xel and Ezra drew their spare lightsabers.

Xel stayed by his brother's side, noting the strict two-handed stance he adopted when fatigued and reinforcing his defenses. Several propeller systems engaged, causing an exasperated roll of the eyes and a charge toward the closest Inquisitor. It ended up being a fake-out, as Xel spun clockwise mid-step around his "target", instead angling his main blade toward the female in a one-handed wide slash. The collision stopped her blade mid-spin and locked it in place, leaving her open to a blow from his mother's saber. She leapt over it—and him—flipping around the Mando and landing in a deep crouch as he swiped his right sword just over her head.

The female lunged in a stab, Xel deflecting it and countering with a hooked cavalry strike to her shoulder, effectively a top-down slash meant to carve a line from shoulder to hip. She shifted her rear blade to block the strike, but his superior position and leverage effectively knocked her onto her back, leaving her exposed to a downward stab from his main lightsaber. Four barrel-rolled away as Xel's peripheral vision picked up Alen taking on the shortest Inquisitor and holding up all right for now. Ezra, by comparison, was basically jumping and flipping around both his opponents' attacks, the Sakiyan's style supporting more brute strength behind his double-blade as opposed to the Grand Inquisitor, whose shorter shotos were serving to constantly put Ezra on the defensive.

Refocusing on his own target, Xel turned his body sideways when Four lunged again, her stab followed by a blow to the shoulder from her rear blade and an attempt to use her propeller system to overpower his guard. Xel simply compensated by meeting her one blade with both of his and pivoting into the lock. The strain proved too much for the strangely constructed lightsaber, and a small column of smoke arose from its center as the rotary system failed and sparked. Xel just grinned behind his faceplate.

"That's what you get for relying on tech to fight your battles for you."

He deactivated Telia's saber and grabbed the hilt of Four's saber, using that anchor point to head-butt her, widening the crack in her faceplate. Xel threw her to the ground and smashed his fist into the side of her helmet, fingers hooking under the top edge of the crack and squeezing. Before he could deform the helmet too much, Four popped her hips up and kneed him in the faceplate, sending him stumbling back a step. Flipping herself upright, Four leapt for Xel, and he swung wildly at her, but she caught his wrist in her left hand in tandem with locking her legs around his head and beating the hilt of her saber into the side of his helmet repeatedly.

Caden was more stunned and annoyed than injured—mostly at the fact that she thought a direct physical attack like that would work. In response, he grabbed the outside ring of her saber hilt with his empty hand and squeezed hard. The metal slowly but surely crumbled under his grip until the ring itself shattered, further disabling the saber's rotational capacity. With a jagged shard of metal in his grasp, Xel brought his left fist forward hard, stabbing the sharp end of the piece into her helmet and causing a new crack to form in its shatter-resistant surface. A single fiery orange eye glared at him from the old crack before she activated her lightsaber and swung for his neck.

Dropping the debris, he caught her wrist and held her at bay for barely a second before Xel felt a crushing weight impact his left side, relaxing his grip as she released her legs' grip around his neck. Xel toppled to the floor side-first, checking behind to see Alen's bruised body lying there. Near Four, clearly having just tossed his brother, was the Sakiyan, with only one blade active and his hulking figure hovering over his smaller comrade protectively. A brief cry of alarm came from Ezra just before a hard impact was heard, prompting Xel to look over and see him being clocked in the lower ribs with a pipe the Grand Inquisitor had pulled loose and used to catapult him toward the other two prone targets.

The trio slowly pushed themselves to their feet, pain ebbing from every pore as Xel realized they'd switched positions with the Inquisitors.

"We can't hold them like this," Xel hissed.

"I have an idea," Alen replied, igniting his saber and standing between them.

"All ears," Ezra said.

"Just follow my lead."

Xel gave his brother a glance as Alen took a deep, calming breath, then swung his lightsaber down and sideways, cutting a deep gash in the platform's deck. Eyebrows furrowing, confusion struck both Xel and Ezra until Alen did it again, and again, more and more as he began withdrawing toward the _Phantom_. Catching on, the other two began following suit with their own lightsabers and effectively creating a long sheet of glowing metal on the floor. The Inquisitors advanced steadily, breaking into a run seconds later as the trio reached the end of their withdrawal.

Then Alen yelled, "Now!"

And all three of them emitted wide, constant Force Pushes that sent a torrent of red-hot liquid metal toward their opponents, too fast for them to block individually. As a result, many of the molten projectiles got through and impacted their ballistic armor, eating away at its surface and gradually melting through. Three Inquisitors brandished and activated their propeller sabers, managing to stop the brunt of the unorthodox assault and giving the Fourth Sister some breathing room, as she was using the rest of them for cover. Preoccupied as they were with their improvised and crude version of ballistakinesis, they never saw the Inquisitors' true intentions coming until it was too late.

"No, Sabine—_no_!"

With a desperate cry and attempt to catch the rapidly falling vehicle, Xel found himself plastered to the deck of the platform, completely drained and winded. Distantly, he felt Alen's hand on his shoulder, trying to shake him into coherence, but all he could focus on was the rapidly vanishing light of the _Phantom's_ headlights as it fell into the bottomless pit below. He could tell Ezra had also attempted to catch her by the way he was leaning on his knees, breathless, but between the day's battles, recovering from Imperial torture, and having to support over a ton of debris alone for damn near five minutes, he was too drained to have made much of a difference. Hell, all of them were.

Slowly, they all stood upright and faced the Inquisitors, glaring at them hard with sabers at the ready.

"You're going to pay for that," Xel growled furiously.

"Seconded," Alen added in a similar tone.

To both their surprise, Ezra said nothing, simply stared off into infinity with a distant, curious look on his face. The brothers gave him a confused look. And then he smirked, just enough to be noticeable, and his voice took on an ethereal, almost mystic tone.

"Guys…everything's going to be all right."

Their unspoken question was answered a half-second later when the roar of repulsor engines reached them, and the Inquisitors were blinded by a pair of powerful headlights. Xel looked back and up to see the _Phantom_ hovering just above the platform, with one fully armored Mandalorian woman behind the stick. The ship's external speaker system activated as Sabine voiced her opinion on the Imperial assassins.

"_Usen'ye_, _hut'uune_!"

The Grand Inquisitor responded immediately. "Scatter!"

Before any of his comrades could even think of obeying, Sabine opened fire with the _Phantom's _main guns, repeated blasts of high-explosive turbolaser fire ripping through the close quarters and sending up smoke and molten metal. When the smoke began to clear, the trio was greeted by the sight of four partially damaged Inquisitors and an open door currently admitting two full squads of stormtroopers.

"And I believe that's our cue to exit," Ezra commented.

"You got it!" Sabine shouted over the speaker.

She turned the ship around and fired three blasts into the room's back wall, creating a gap sizable enough to exit, then popping the back hatch open. Without delay, the trio leapt into the _Phantom's_ hold, just managing to outpace the incoming fire of Imperial soldiers as the last man in hit the controls to close the hatch.

"We're set, go!"

Sabine gave Alen a nod, then hit the accelerator and took off into the open air of Bogden. She barely made it ten seconds before the anti-air fire from before started peppering their flight vector.

"Not this time, you worthless _shabuire_…hold on to something!"

Sabine put the ship into a downward tailspin, green laser fire just missing their bow and following them down as she cut the engines to confuse their tracking. The _Phantom_ descended nearly half a mile before she reactivated them and kicked in the stabilizing thrusters to level them out.

"Come on, baby, hold together!"

The Mando reached up and hit the auxiliary systems, giving them just the boost they needed to stabilize their flight and keep low to the ground. Xel, meanwhile, hit a key on his gauntlet and tapped the side of his helmet feverishly.

_Come on…get through…_

…

Nearly half a minute later, the turbolaser fire stopped, but was replaced by something far more unsettling—the whine and roar of pursuing TIE Fighters. With them in a half-demolished ship barely keeping itself together, Alen did not like their chances. Sabine was good, but she wasn't _that_ good. Not by a longshot. The first salvos of green plasma hit way too close for cover, even with Sabine getting some cover by turning into a narrow canyon some two miles from the tower and weaving around one rocky outcropping after another. Eruptions of smoke and falling debris exploded all around them as the TIEs kept up their pursuit, one of them misjudging his wingspan and taking off one at the joint when it crashed into a massive, hanging stalactite.

Finding herself at a sudden dead end, Sabine frantically pulled up, the ship's overtaxed systems just barely getting her to clear the plateau. The bottom of the _Phantom_ still clipped a rocky outcropping, which jostled the shoddy circuit patchwork enough to temporarily cut their suspending repulsorlifts. Essentially all lift force was cut, and the _Phantom's_ tenants felt their teeth chatter as the ship's undercroft dragged against the rough terrain. The whine of TIE engines got closer, and Alen tensed when they saw their pursuer in the rear scope, lining up a shot on their essentially sitting-duck ship.

They all braced for an impact that never came. Half a second before the TIE pilot opened fire, a flurry of red plasma turned it into a hulk of molten scrap, Alen recognizing the trademark sound and look of the _Kandosii'tal's_ rotary cannon, then the ship itself when it shot overhead. The ship banked around toward them as Sabine began to reduce speed in an attempt to fix the repulsorlifts. It proved needless when the _Kandosii'tal_ descended and activated its magnetic clamps, catching the ship right before it dropped off the edge of a cliff. Sabine let out a hard sigh and opened a comm. channel to their rescuer, her hail immediately answered by a familiar female voice.

"I leave you boys for an hour, and you manage to turn a simple rescue mission into a high-speed chase? Where would you be without me?"

"Not just the boys, I'm afraid," Sabine answered with a laugh.

"Sabine! Good to hear your voice."

"Yours too, _Iol'ika_. We're coming up soon."

"Roger that. I'll drop the _Phantom_ at our landing site, get a more permanent anchor to the _Shereshoy_, and then we can get outta here. Are Kanan and the others okay?"

Ezra and Sabine exchanged a dark look.

"No," Sabine answered. "But we're getting them back."

"Understood. Standing by for your entry."

Leaning back in her seat, Sabine let out a long, relieved breath before climbing to her feet and moving into the passenger area, where Alen and the others were finally beginning to relax. The Jedi gave his Mandalorian comrade an approving smile as she pulled her helmet off, becoming a little disoriented when she gave him barely a passing glance. The feeling vanished as soon as he realized why—along with Xel. Barely a second after clipping her helmet to her belt, Sabine grabbed a surprised Ezra by the sides of his face and pushed her lips against his rather insistently.

Ezra, in response, was certainly surprised, but not offended or off-put by any stretch as he responded in kind, the two brothers exchanging awkward glances and looking _everywhere_ except at them. After a much longer period than Alen was comfortable with, the obnoxious sounds of lip-smacking ceased and Sabine finally straightened up, using one hand to fix her partially disheveled hair (which he now saw was a mix of deep red and dark blue, almost black). The _Phantom's _comm. system powered on to break the awkward silence.

"Hey, what's taking you guys so long?"

Xel climbed to his feet and ensured his helmet was secured in place (no doubt to hide his certainly blushing face) before answering Iola. "On our way. Just had to…take a breather. It's been a very long hour."

"Roger that, Xel. I'm ready for ya."

…

15 minutes later

The Kandosii'tal, Bogden

"So…Mustafar?"

Ezra threw his hands up. "That's the best I can think of under the circumstances. Last I checked, it was their primary facility for imprisoning and breaking Jedi."

"And chances are," Sabine added, "they wouldn't have split Hera, Zeb, and the others from Kanan. The opportunity to use them as leverage is too tempting."

Ezra frowned deeply before nodding in agreement.

"Then we find the facility they're being held in and break them out," Xel said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Both Specters laughed. "It's not that simple," they said in tandem.

"Of course not, but what alternative do we have? And do you really think the Imps are gonna expect such a direct confrontation of their defenses? I mean come on, for all their fortifications, I'd wager that's the _last_ thing they'd count on."

Sabine shrugged. "All right, I'll concede that point, but the moment the element of surprise is lost, we're dead in the water. We don't have the firepower or manpower to blast our way in or out, and the Alliance can't afford to spare reinforcements for such a mission."

"Why the hell not?" Iola asked a little irritably. "Set aside for a moment that Kanan is one of the last Jedi Knights in _existence_.The _Ghost_ and its crew have been an _incredible_ asset to the rebels. One that they _cannot_ afford to lose."

Ezra sighed. "And I'm sure Tobin would love nothing more than to mobilize all forces under his command to rescue them, but breaking four operatives from Imperial custody with that thick of a defensive line is, generally speaking—"

"Suicide," Sabine finished. "Our _only_ chance would lie in subterfuge, and no offense Xel, but your crew isn't exactly renowned for its subtlety."

The Mando could only grunt in concession, thinking for a while. "On the other hand, that _might_ actually serve to our advantage. If the _Kandosii'tal_ can provide enough of a distraction in a neighboring sector of Imperial installations, we might be able to draw some of the heat away from your infiltration team."

"Which would consist of what?" Ezra asked. "Me and Sabine? We're good, but even if by some miracle your plan works, we'll still have more to get through than we can handle on our own."

"And considering there were four Inquisitors guarding just _you two_," Xel added, "we'd have to account for the possibility that the same might be said of Kanan and the others." He paused for a moment. "Speaking of which, do either one of you want to explain why we found four Inquisitors in one location at _all_? In _addition_ to what I can only assume was a full platoon of highly trained shadowtroopers from the 501st?"

Sabine and Ezra exchanged a look, then turned to Xel and spoke as one. "That's classified."

Xel and Iola (surprisingly enough) adopted identical looks and crossed arms.

"Aaaand of course that didn't work," sighed Sabine.

"You really think it would?" Ezra asked her.

She gave a noncommittal grunt, then nodded to him.

Ezra turned back to Xel, tightening his jaw briefly before speaking. "Tobin's people got hold of some intel indicating a secret Imperial training facility on Bogden, out of the way in a backwater planet so as to avoid attention."

"Unfortunately for us," Sabine added, "the files never once indicated just how critical this facility was. It's a kriffing blacksite—created for the sole purpose of housing and training some of the Empire's most elite operatives. Before we even got close to uncovering its location, we were ambushed by a cluster of Imperial soldiers and special forces—including those Inquisitors."

"If they hadn't had those TIEs as backup," Ezra said, "we might've gotten away, but as it stood, they got Chopper and Zeb pretty fast, and without the big guy's muscle and bo rifle, it wasn't long before the Inquisitors had us backed into a corner."

"To make matters worse, the new Grand Inquisitor ordered the TIEs to bombard the _Ghost's_ engines with mag-pulse cannons. Practically fried the circuitry from the inside out. Same thing they did to the _Phantom_ when we tried to use it as our backup plan."

"By that time," Ezra continued, "they'd already pinned Kanan and Hera in the cargo bay of the _Ghost_. They ordered us to get out by any means necessary…to get help. So we did."

"And we failed," Sabine added grimly. "And now we don't even know if our friends—our _family_—are still alive."

"They're alive," Ezra said softly. "I know they're alive."

She turned to him abruptly. "How?"

"Because I still feel them." His jaw tightened visibly. "And because they _have_ to be."

Sabine and Ezra stared at each other for a while, their fingers eventually lacing together in silent comfort.

"I guess the priority for now is finding out where on Mustafar they're keeping them," Iola said.

"They're not."

Xel's head snapped toward Alen abruptly, the Mando noticing for the first time just how uncharacteristically quiet his brother had been throughout the conversation. He realized the reason when he saw what was in his hands and the implications of what he'd just said finally registered.

"What do you mean, 'they're not'?" asked Sabine, a flicker of new hope in her voice.

Alen's eyes hardened as he looked up at them and handed his datapad to Xel.

Caden looked the data over for a moment before his eyes widened and he looked up at Alen.

The Jedi nodded back at him, then turned to an expectantly-staring Sabine. "When the Grand Inquisitor was busy trying to rub my nose in his four-on-one victory, I slipped a hand into his belt—" he smirked, "—little trick I learned from my dear brother. And as luck—or the will of the Force—would have it, he kept a data stick in one of those pouches, and my fingers went straight for it." He nodded at the datapad. "Xel, why don't you explain what I won?"

The Mando smirked and looked toward the Specters. "I don't know whether they're adopting a special procedure for the _Ghost_ crew or what, but this data indicates classified correspondence between the Grand Inquisitor and another blacksite—on Mon Cala."

Sabine and Ezra's eyes went wide as they exchanged a look.

"Mon Cala?" Ezra asked incredulously. "But—that's impossible. They were one of the first full worlds to openly join the Rebellion. The Empire doesn't even have a _presence_ there."

"That we know of," Sabine corrected. "If they _do_ have a facility there…it's well-hidden and well-protected, probably by a traitor within the government."

"Which means we now have _two_ priorities," Alen added. "Rescue Kanan and the others, and find intel that implicates whoever the Imps have in their pocket."

"Just one question," said Iola, "why would someone as smart as the Grand Inquisitor send such valuable prisoners to a world _controlled_ by the Rebel Alliance?"

"That's exactly why he did it," Sabine answered. "It's the last place we'd ever think to look. Just look at us. My first assumption was to think they'd sent them to Mustafar, a world completely overrun by the Empire with nearly impenetrable defenses."

"Thus tricking us into an operation with so much more risk than reward—a reward that isn't even there," Ezra finished.

Xel snarled a little. "I'll admit, it is mildly brilliant."

Iola smirked as she gave Alen an approving look. "Guess they just didn't count on the Jedi having light fingers."

Alen looked down bashfully and attempted to suppress a grin as a blush threatened to crawl over his features.

Xel noticed and mercifully came to his rescue, grinning wildly and clapping him on the shoulder. "Like he said, I taught him everything he knows."

"Aaaand there it is," drawled Sabine. "The second half of your oh-so-charming personality."

He furrowed his brows at her in confusion.

She smirked playfully and flipped her fingers out to count them off. "Complete and utter lack of subtlety—"

"And an ego the size of a small moon," Ezra finished.

Sabine gave him a look. "Who said anything about small?"

Xel just chuckled and shook his head, feeling a lightness about him as a weight he hadn't known was there lifted off his shoulders. "So, what say we tether the _Phantom_ and get moving? Our mission isn't over yet."

"Not by a longshot," Sabine said grimly.

Alen stood and turned to Iola, retrieving his datapad from Xel. "Iola, ready the _Shereshoy_ for takeoff. I'll make sure the rest of you have access to the GI's data on the flight over. See if you can find something I missed."

"Doubtful, but we appreciate it," Ezra said with a smile.

The _Shereshoy's_ crew made it halfway to the _Kandosii'tal's_ exit ramp before Ezra's voice stopped them.

"And guys—"

All present turned and stared at him and Sabine.

"Thank you. For coming after us." Ezra turned to face Xel specifically. "I know it couldn't have been easy."

The Jedi and Mando shared a long look, Xel's mind flashing back to his words in the storage room.

Caden smiled and bowed his head slightly. "The best things never are."

* * *

AN: All right. Should be just one more chapter to this arc, and then we start skipping around in some downtime. I feel like I'll need to cool things down a bit after all this insane action.

I know I didn't really focus all that much on the Specters these last couple chapters, but I know _my_ characters best, and I've only seen Ezra actually fight saber-to-saber a handful of times thus far. Well, that and I felt I needed to demonstrate how much of a badass Alen is with a lightsaber in his hand. I just feel like I've made the mistake of consistently underpowering his character—or at least his skill with a blade. In truth, as I believe Xel has remarked a couple of times throughout the story, he's the greatest duelist in this story (apart from Darth Vader, of course, but then _he's_ just a giant ball of sheer power).

The fact that Alen practices a "dead" style that requires impeccable coordination and natural aptitude to master—and that he had to learn on his own, since his mother certainly didn't teach him—should be testament enough to his ability. However, pair that skill with a strong connection and surrender to the Force, and you get two to three minutes of one young, extremely talented Jedi holding out against four opponents at once. Granted, he wasn't winning, just holding, but still. Any lesser man—including Xel and maybe Ezra—would've been cut down within the first half of that time.

At any rate, as always, I hope you enjoyed this and are eagerly anticipating the next installment of _Kandosii'tal_. We'll finally be resolving this arc and wrapping up the _Ghost_ plotline for good. Please review this chapter and spam the favorite/follow button at your leisure.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	53. Specters of the Deep

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

A pair of vibrant gold eyes stared up at the high ceiling of a quiet room, flickering absently across its surface as their owner cocked her head slightly. One arm was tucked behind her head, the other draped across her midriff as she lounged in a bed meant for guests, the crisp early morning air leaking in through a window she'd cracked open the previous night. Her head turned left and lips tipped upward when she spied the home's owner bent over a hunk of machinery, the tip of his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth rather cutely. His left hand reached forward, a sharp gasp and slight jump occurring a moment later when something he was working on sparked on contact.

He waved the injured appendage up and down, doing little hops before sticking the end of his index in his mouth. He sighed hard and rolled his eyes as he tossed his soldering iron onto the table in frustration. Catching sight of the quietly-observing woman, he stood up straight and placed both hands on his hips with an apologetic expression on his face.

"Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to wake you."

Kael smiled and shook her head as she swept her legs over the side of the bed. "You didn't."

Xel grunted with a nod and turned back to his project, a partially dismantled assault cannon of some model she'd seen once before.

"Whatcha workin' on?"

He glanced up at her, leaning over the machine. "Last time I used this thing was on that pirate cruiser three months back. Never got around to fixing it." He sighed. "And, upon closer inspection, I saw room for improvement."

She stood with a small stretch, padding her way over to him on bare feet. "Improvement how?"

Xel gave her a sideways look, dark blue eyes briefly flickering down to her legs before he blinked rapidly and cleared his throat.

Kael slightly arched an eyebrow and managed to suppress a smirk as he focused on his answer.

"Fire. An enhanced plasma cell that ignites targets on impact." Xel grinned with a spark in his eye. "That, plus an advanced hydraulic chamber that increases the operational range of the underslung launcher, should improve this thing's effectiveness in a pitched fight by a minimum of thirty-four percent."

Her eyebrows shot skyward. "Really? Now _that's_ impressive."

He smirked. "_Cuy'ni_, _partayli_?" It's me, remember?

Kael smiled back at him with a roll of her eyes. "_Elek_, _Xel'ika._ _Ni kar'tayli_." Yes, Xel, I know.

Xel grinned proudly and picked her up unexpectedly, the smaller woman squeaking in surprise and delight. "_Jate bora_, _vaar'ika_!" Great job, pip-squeak! "_Kandosii_!"

Kael laughed at his pet name for her and held onto his shoulders for dear life as she was swung in circles, her captor eventually slowing down and holding her just above him. The dirty blonde girl stared down at him, the laughter and life in his eyes making her heart perform a brief gymnastics routine in her chest. Just as quickly as she'd been snatched up, Kael was set back down, feeling for the first time how cold the stone tiles were beneath her bare feet. Her head tilted curiously as Xel slowly turned back to his work.

"Hey Xel."

"Hm?"

She leaned against a table at her back, pushing herself up to sit on it. "What does that mean? That word, _Kandosii_?" She shrugged. "I've never really figured it out."

Xel paused in his work, looking up at her with a mildly concentrated expression on his face. "It's…complicated." He smirked. "Like a lot of words in Mando'a,it has multiple meanings. Typically, it's only used the way I did just now, as sort of an exclamation of excitement or approval. Other times, like with my ship, it's used a bit more literally."

"Which is…"

Xel smirked. "It means 'indomitable.'"

"And _tal_?"

"Blood. Put them together—"

"And you get the _Indomitable Blood_." Kael grinned. "That's _awesome_."

Xel smiled and nodded, turning back to the cannon. "You can thank my dad for that."

Kael's smile slowly faded as her eyes turned to the ground and she absently picked at the end of the table. "I wish I'd gotten to meet him." She looked up at him. "Both of them, really."

Caden's face fell slightly before a bittersweet smile graced his lips. "Yeah, me too." He looked over at her. "They would've _loved_ you guys."

Kael nodded and fell silent for a while, several minutes passing as the silence was only broken by Xel's work. "So…how _did_ you get them back?"

He took a sharp breath and looked back up at her. "What?"

"Kanan and the others. Yesterday, you said you found them on Mon Cala, right? How'd you rescue them? You and Alen call in the cavalry? I mean, they _were_ on an Alliance-controlled planet, right?"

Xel frowned and glanced to the side. "True, but it wasn't that simple." He straightened up and picked up a nearby cloth, wiping off his hands. "As soon as we discovered that the Empire had a large-scale facility in the middle of Mon Cala's arctic ocean, we knew we'd have to break them out on our own."

Kael's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why?"

His expression went grim. "Because there's no way a facility like that could've existed without inside help."

Her eyes widened in realization. "Thus you had no idea who you could trust."

He nodded slowly. "And it had already been more than half a standard week since the _Ghost _crew was abducted; there was no time to check. So there we were, five fledgling rebels taking a shot in the dark against a fully-staffed Imperial base…"

…

3 years ago

North Pole, Mon Cala

6 months, 3 weeks ABY

"So…remind me again whose bright idea this was?"

Ezra rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "It's unorthodox, I know, but last time I checked, that never stopped _you_."

Xel snorted. "Are my tactics unorthodox? Sure. Potentially suicidal? Not so much."

Sabine gave the other Mando a sideways look and adopted a sarcastic tone. "Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were nervous. And here I thought the great and powerful Xel Caden wasn't scared of _anything_, much less a little water."

He faced her abruptly. "Your definition of 'little' and mine are _very_ different, Sabine. And it isn't the water I have a problem with." His tone roughened as he turned back toward a nearby window. "It's what's typically _in_ the water that makes me nervous."

Iola slowly grinned with a teasing expression on her face. "Aww, is the big metal man afraid of a few widdle fishies?"

Xel tensed slightly. "_Iol'ika_…"

"You scared of getting nibbled on, pinched in the butt a little?"

"Iola."

"Come on, Xel." She laughed. "You've wrestled _Zakkegs_, for stars' sake, and you're scared of some scaly things with gills and tentacles?"

"As a matter of fact, _yes_."

Iola chuckled a little before realizing he was serious. She stopped laughing immediately. "Wha—why?"

"Because when I wrestled that Zakkeg, or my first albino Boma, I was on _land_. I was fighting the enemy on an even plain, even if it _was_ their home turf. At least out of water, I can actually kriffing _maneuver_. Death by wild animal is one of my _least_ favorite ways to go, _particularly_ underwater."

"You mean you actually have favorites?" Sabine asked.

Xel shot her a glare. "Not the point. Bottom line—" he turned back to the window, "—the sooner we get this done, the better."

"Don't worry," said Alen, who was behind the yoke of their submersible, "according to the coordinates, we're almost there."

Xel exhaled hard, leaning on his knees. "Good. That's good."

"Um."

Caden's head snapped to his brother. "What?"

"Don't look now, but I think the scanners are picking something up off the sub's port side. Something big."

"_Vod_, you better not be screwing with me."

"I swear I'm not. Don't look."

Against Alen's advice (and his own better judgment), Xel looked out his window and froze immediately upon spotting a dark shape in the distance, its silhouette barely highlighted against the pitch-black backdrop of the deep sea.

"Oh _shab_."

Alen glanced back in alarm. "Xel?"

"_Shabshabshab_."

Iola approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Xel, breathe—just take a breath and calm down."

His lungs kept hyperventilating harder the longer he stared out the window, the silhouette slowly but surely coalescing into a creature the size of a mid-size _cruiser_. Massive, gelatinous yellow eyes stared back at him with pupils easily the size of human heads. The seemingly-glowing orbs were set in a long, gigantic head suspended on a sinuous neck. To say nothing of its mouth, which was filled with all manner of fangs…

Suddenly, there was something blocking his view—or more accurately, some_one_.

The glowing yellow beacons were replaced by gentle sky blue eyes, staring back at him with concern and affection rather than malevolence. Slowly, he became distantly aware of a soft voice trying to reach him.

"Xel—Xel? Look at me."

His eyes flickered to the side, toward the exposed glass.

Iola put a hand on his cheek and turned his focus back to her. "Hey. Focus here. Eyes on me, okay?"

Xel nodded stiffly, keeping his gaze on her face and noticing for the first time that her hair had been steadily growing darker over the years.

_It was forest green when we first met. Now…it's like the color of partially-dried wood._

Bit by bit, his breathing and heart rate stabilized, and Iola smiled at him widely upon seeing it.

"See?" she asked. "Piece of cake."

Xel shuddered with the memory of what he'd seen, then pressed his face into her shoulder. "Thank you."

She gently stroked his hair and held him close. "You're very welcome."

Caden glanced out the window when they pulled apart, still seeing the silhouette but not freaking out this time. "With _that_ thing prowling these waters, it's a wonder this facility is still operational."

"And it _is_ operational," said Ezra from the cockpit.

Snapping toward the voice, Xel pushed himself upright and moved toward the pilots, whistling through his teeth when he saw what they were talking about. Before anyone could comment on it, the sub's communication system beeped with an incoming hail.

Alen answered without missing a beat. "Gulomi Base, this is supply craft GT-X04, here for our routine drop."

The line filled with static for a moment before they answered. "X04, you're not due down here for another three _days_. Why the accelerated timetable?"

Ezra clicked his end on. "Sudden shortage of deep-sea crafts in our region has the locals drafting subs en masse. We wanted to get our drop in before we get served, over." He thumbed the line off and waited.

About five seconds passed before the Imperials replied. "Roger that, X04. You're cleared to land. Docking bay E-07, as usual."

"Good copy. E-07." Ezra turned to Alen. "You know where that is?"

"No idea."

The older Jedi shrugged. "Well—guess we're winging it."

"AKA, we let the Force guide us."

"Isn't that what I said?"

Alen just sighed and grinned as he shook his head, closing his eyes as his hands settled onto the yoke. Xel closed his eyes as well and stretched out with the Force, feeling several expectant signatures in the gigantic undersea facility before them.

"You feel that, right?"

Xel nodded in reply.

"Yes," Ezra responded as well.

"Two rows down it is."

Alen smoothly maneuvered the submersible into position and waited for the doors to part before gently applying the throttle and bringing them into a sealed hangar. The inside was about what they'd expected—very clinical and bright, strewn with technical equipment and various custodial and cargo staff.

"I could be wrong," said Sabine, "but I'm pretty sure making a fuss in here would be a very bad idea."

"She's right," Iola agreed. "One wrong move, and I doubt the Imps'll hesitate to flood the whole compartment."

"So…stick with the plan?" Ezra asked.

Sabine nodded and motioned to Xel. "Stick with the plan."

Minutes later, Alen, Ezra, and Iola were in plainclothes, completely unarmed and unassuming, as they unloaded three crates on corresponding repulsor pads. Barely a few words were exchanged as they went about their tasks, the three infiltrators escorted down one hall after the next by attending stormtroopers before being led to a large storage room. The moment the door slid shut behind them, they popped the tops of two crates and released their armored comrades, along with a third crate containing an entire cache of weapons.

"You'd think a place this secret would have better security," Ezra commented.

"Don't jinx it, Bridger," Sabine scolded as she handed him his lightsabers.

Xel did the same for Alen and passed Iola a blaster. She looked at it curiously and turned to Xel for an explanation.

"I looked at your old one and decided it wasn't sufficient." He tapped the thick barrel of the S-5 heavy blaster pistol in her grip. "I modified this one _months_ ago, in between sessions with Peetee's new body. Just never had an opportunity to give it to you."

Iola hefted the blaster and pointed it at a nearby wall, getting a feel for the weapon's weight. She gave Xel a sideways look, a smile slowly coming to her lips. "It'll do." She smirked. "Although I might just have to try your style."

Alen gave her an arched eyebrow as she picked up her old blaster from the crate as well. "His style?"

Iola threw him a grin and pulled both blasters out, whipping her hair about and aiming at the entry door akimbo.

Alen just stared openmouthed, face turning steadily more red as Xel sidled up to his side with a grin and their bond opened.

"_Xel…why is that so hot?" _Alen asked dreamily.

Xel laughed in his head. _"'Cause you've got some Mando in you, _vod_. Bravery and skill are like exposed skin to us."_

Alen had to force himself to look away with a sharp clearing of his throat, double-checking his lightsaber.

Caden kept chuckling behind the safety of his faceplate, but he came to an abrupt stop when he spotted Ezra, whose eyes were closed, with a concentrated expression on his face. Sabine shuffled up next to him, stowing her WESTAR-35s and brandishing an EE-4 blaster rifle.

"Where are they, Ezra?" she asked him.

He hesitated a moment. "I can't speak for everyone, but Kanan is in an eastward section of the base." He pointed toward an empty wall. "That way."

While Ezra had been using his Force bond with Kanan to trace his location, Alen and Iola had been disconnecting a nearby panel, hoping to find a coordinated system like on Bogden. They had.

"I'm tapped into their security logs," said Alen. "Trying to locate—oh. Oh no."

"What?" Sabine asked.

"Crap. I should've expected this."

"Let me guess," said Ezra, "the Inquisitors are here."

Alen looked up at him. "They just docked with the station. And they're closer to the other Specters than we are."

"Well then," Xel sighed. "Plan B."

…

The two stormtroopers flanking either side of the storage room's exit briefly lost their balance as a massive rumble went through the space behind them. Exchanging a brief look, they keyed the door open and swept the room with their E11s, straining to see through a thick cloud of dust that had permeated the air. They stopped upon seeing a massive hole blown into the far wall of the chamber, lowering their weapons as an overwhelming sense of dread fell over them.

"Do…you wanna make the call?"

"You crazy? You do it."

"I really hate to pull rank, but in this case…"

"Ugh—_fine_." Click. "Er…Gulomi Command? We have a…small problem."

…

"Can someone please explain to me why we _never_ stick with Plan A?"

"Easy isn't for Jedi?" Alen suggested to Ezra.

"Oh no," Sabine replied, "trust me—it's _every_ mission, not just the ones he's on."

The Jedi sighed and threw his hands up—metaphorically speaking, of course, considering doing so literally would've dropped him onto Ezra and Xel. As it stood, they were taking the station's service tunnels three levels down, then transferring to another wing of the facility, which was actually much larger than it looked at a glance. Mainly so because most of the station wasn't exposed to the open water, but built into a hollowed-out deep-sea cavern. As a technician-slash-expert slicer, Alen had wondered how such a facility got reliable power this far from civilization. The answer had been found during his hack into their networked power grid, when he found readouts for a massive hydroelectric system that utilized the variance in temperature between water at various elevations to turn an array of frictionless turbines and generate power.

The system was quite ingenious, if Alen was honest, and he wondered who the chief engineer behind this project was. It would have to have been someone with fairly high security clearance to operate on a top secret facility like this. Either that or he was killed immediately after the project's completion. With the Inquisitorius managing this station, both possibilities were equally viable. Speaking of which, he'd had to cut his link to the security feeds to avoid detection, but last he'd checked, the Grand Inquisitor was deploying his people to opposite ends of the station defining each main route to the detention blocks. Evidently, he didn't expect them to use service tunnels to circumvent the station's security.

As they crawled from the undercroft of one section to another, Alen was forced to revise his judgment. Quite suddenly, with only the briefest warning from the Force, one of the steam vents in front of them burst open, pouring hot steam into the narrow passage and splitting the infiltrators.

"Oh hell no," Sabine growled as Ezra and Xel were separated from them. "This is _not_ happening again."

"Damn right," Alen agreed, pushing his hand forward and creating a temporary tunnel with which to traverse the steam.

After crawling through, he kept the passage open for Iola, but Sabine just snorted and pushed her way through the burning vapor, her suit shrugging it off with ease.

"I could be wrong," Ezra began grimly, "but I think we've been made."

_Snap-hiss_.

The tip of a blazing crimson blade emerged through the ceiling between Sabine and Alen.

The Mandalorian woman drew her EE-4 in one hand and a shaped charge in the other. "Seconded."

Without further ado, Sabine planted the charge on the ceiling directly above her, barely six inches from the lightsaber, and moved to one side as Alen did the same on his end. A second later, a massive thump sent a four-foot-wide chunk of durasteel and thermaplast rocketing upward toward the enemy. Their exit made, Sabine leapt out first and pulled the trigger of her weapon twice, sending two six-shot bursts into the spinning blades of the Fourth Sister before she was Force Pushed into a wall with a grunt. Alen jumped out next, giving Four a solid flying kick to the chest and igniting his lightsaber as soon as he hit open air. Xel and Ezra followed Iola out after four audible lightsaber clashes, catching sight of the other, shorter Inquisitor on their opposite side, near a recovering Sabine.

Ezra leapt to his girlfriend's defense, Force Pushing the Tenth Brother into an important-looking pipe. Steam erupted from the point of contact, bathing that half of the hallway in fog and cloaking the Advozse's movements from view. Xel sprinted into the fog, catching sight of an ignited saber and estimating its owner's location before shoulder-charging directly into his chest and knocking him back against the wall hard. Winded, Ten was unable to avoid the gravity-assisted double-fisted smash that cracked the top of his helmet and dazed him. Glancing back at the duel between Alen and Four, Xel let out a small growl.

"We don't have time for this!" he shouted, bringing an armored knee into Ten's faceplate and further stunning the Inquisitor.

"Agreed," Alen shouted back, combining his power with Ezra's to Blast Four across the hallway.

Xel used a minor manipulation to open a door at the end of her flight path, flicking it closed as soon as she was inside. Iola shot the door control the instant it slid shut, sealing her inside for the moment, and the five took off toward the detention block a moment later. Figuring that they were made, Alen reopened his link to the security system and tapped into their camera system to find that the Grand Inquisitor and First Brother were booking it toward their location.

"Take a right!" he shouted.

The team followed his lead, allowing him to take point as he led them down a twisting pattern of turns through the maze-like detention level until they reached the target area. Catching a brief glimpse of white plastoid, Alen drew his Bryar pistol and exchanged a nod with Xel before all five of them burst into the open hallway and effectively painted the room with laser fire. Six stormtroopers slid to the ground a moment later, giving them a clear lane to the cells. A few well-placed explosives later, and three cells were forcefully opened, their tenants stumbling into the hall seconds later. When the smoke cleared, Sabine immediately realized something was off.

"Hera…where's Kanan?"

The green-skinned Twi'lek looked up at her with dazed eyes, rubbing a hand over her face briefly. "I…don't know. The Imps pretty much kept me drugged out of my mind. Guess they figured I was half the brains of our operation."

Ezra smirked. "Well they're not wrong."

"But that leaves us with a very big problem," Iola said. "We have four Inquisitors actively hunting us, a _very_ spotty escape plan, and still no Kanan."

The ornery astromech droid at Hera's side began speaking at them rather animatedly with what Alen could only describe as honks.

"What'd he say?" asked Zeb drowsily.

Sabine's eyes lit up. "Chopper says they moved him to a different section when you arrived, insisted on keeping you separated."

"Probably so they could work on him specifically," Ezra said grimly. "There are only so many ways to break a Jedi."

"Does Chop know where exactly?" Iola asked.

"No," Sabine replied. She turned to her boyfriend. "But Ezra might."

The Jedi's eyes were closed in concentration. "I've…got a vague sense of it." He pointed to the northeast. "That way."

Alen glanced down at his wrist-mounted datapad. "According to these schematics, there's one possible location. The problem?" He looked up at them. "It's a complete dead end."

Zeb frowned. "And we're not exactly in any condition to fight."

Ezra frowned hard. "Here's what we're gonna do. Sabine, Iola, Alen—you're on escort duty. Take Hera and the others and secure a submersible for our escape. Xel, you're with me. Any objections?"

"I might have one or two."

The entirety of the group save Alen turned and stared uncomprehendingly into the mostly-empty hallway, wondering at the source of the voice. Alen, on the other hand, just stared into a thin shadow created by an outcropping in a nearby wall. Altogether irritated, the Jedi calmly drew his Bryar, charged up a shot, and fired directly into the shadow, his attack answered with a rapid deflect. Evidently, Four had been so surprised that she didn't even _try_ to reflect the shot back at him. And _then _the others saw her and drew weapons—those that were armed, anyway.

Four stared at Alen for a while, both her blades active. "I really _can't _trick your mind, can I?"

"Not in the slightest," answered the Jedi as he ignited his saber.

Four was joined by all three other Inquisitors as they rounded the corner, having been in wait for the aftermath of Four's "surprise" attack.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Zeb drawled.

Chopper's honks decidedly agreed with him.

Hera lunged for one of the fallen stormtroopers and appropriated his weapon, then fired into the cluster of Sith several times. They all drew weapons and instantly fell into an intricate pattern of deflects, the others practically raining down blaster fire and managing to keep them back long enough for them to begin retreating down the opposite end of the hallway. Sabine and Xel planted detpacks on the walls and ceiling on their way out, then detonated them once they'd reached a minimum safe distance, effectively blocking the Inquisitors from following.

"Okay," began Hera, "new plan."

"No," Ezra replied, "old plan will still work."

"Assuming the Inquisitors don't kill us first or destroy all the submersibles."

"They can't afford to do that," Xel said. "This far underwater, with virtually no contact with the outside world? They need those transports to get out of here."

"Especially since they're in enemy territory," Alen added.

Zeb glanced at him incredulously. "Say what?"

"They've been holding you on Mon Cala this whole time," said Ezra. "How they even _got_ here is a mystery I intend to solve—after we're gone."

"I've cleared a path through the station's automated security and sent the facility's schematics to your HUD," Alen told Xel.

"I see them. We'll split at the next intersection. Good luck, _vod_."

"May the Force be with you."

…

By Ezra's reckoning, it was about sixty seconds before the Inquisitors realized something was off, another thirty before they pinpointed it as the absence of two of the group's Force-using members. He suspected that Fourth Sister was the one who put the pieces together first, given that she'd overheard part of their plan. Bottom line—it was about two full minutes before either Force-wielder caught sight or sound of their pursuers, and when they did, it was only the Sakiyan First Brother and Fourth Sister. Not a great combination, based on what had happened on Bogden. By what they were hearing over their private comlink, Alen and the others had made contact with the other Inquisitors at sparse intervals, but Sabine was using her explosive inclinations to slow them down at every turn.

Each report or burst of alarm from the other side of the link gave an extra burst of speed to Ezra's steps, intensifying his need to get to Kanan faster. Despite the fresh memory of Alen's spectacular defense against all _four_ Inquisitors at once, Ezra knew from experience that such a performance was a one-off—and virtually unrepeatable now that the Grand Inquisitor had analyzed and determined the weaknesses of the younger Jedi's style. If they caught up to Hera and the others, a pitched battle would mean death for _all_ of them. So distracted was Ezra by his worries that he didn't notice that none of the pursuing Sith were throwing their lightsabers. Upon closer inspection of their surroundings, Ezra picked up on several high-priority power conduits that, if ruptured at high enough heat, would create small-scale explosions that could compromise the structural integrity of the tube-like hallways.

Xel, evidently, picked up on this as well, and decided to exploit it and, before Ezra could warn him against it, planted a detpack near a T-intersection in the passages. He detonated it when the Inquisitors got relatively close, and the resulting explosion triggered a chain reaction that effectively severed one half the hallway from the other, water pouring in as the long half began to sink into the sea. One of the chain explosions sent debris and water falling between Xel and Ezra, separating them, and they were forced to run in opposite directions when they realized emergency bulkheads were about to seal them off to prevent further leakage. Ezra came to a stop some fifteen seconds later and took a moment to catch his breath and check his datapad.

"_Karabast_," Ezra hissed between his teeth. He raised his left arm to his mouth, activating his comlink as he took off running. "Xel, I'm checking these schematics, and there's no way for me to reach you or Kanan from here. What's worse—"

A loud rumble and massive vibrations throughout the station cut Ezra off and nearly knocked him off his feet.

"The hell—"

Ezra's comlink beeped and erupted in static before Hera's voice was heard over the link. "Xel, Ezra—if you can hear me—" static, "—the Inquisitors broke off their pursuit of us about half a minute ago, and we think their leader did something to the station."

"I think the Grand Inquisitor finally figured out what I did to their security and decided to perform a manual workaround," Alen explained.

"Meaning?" came Xel's voice.

"Meaning he just overloaded part of the station's power grid. Everything I did to make your trip faster and slow them down just went down the tubes. If I had to guess, I'd say you have maybe two minutes before GI and Tenth Brother are breathing down your neck too."

"And I'm now all alone," Xel added with a sigh. "Perfect. Ezra, link up with the others. I'll get Kanan."

Ezra's eyebrows hiked upward. "Are you kidding me? You can't take four of 'em on at once, and that's exactly where this is headed. You're walking into a dead end, remember?"

"I don't have a choice. I'm the only one within range, unless you fancy trying to punch a hole through four pissed-off Inquisitors and retrieving Kanan in _that_ mess."

Ezra's lips pursed hard. "You grab Kanan and run straight for us. We'll have a defensive line at the end of the third corridor, you see where that is?"

A moment's pause. "Yeah, I see it. Just be ready for a fight."

Ezra smirked. "Always am. May the Force be with you."

…

Xel ran to the end of what seemed like an endless twist of turns and hallways—some disorientingly transparent—to find himself confronted with a set of double blast doors sealed shut—or so it seemed at first glance. Upon approaching, he keyed the controls and realized that the Grand Inquisitor's overload must've shorted out the security key system for the whole station. Drawing both pistols, Xel stepped inside and looked around the spherical room beyond, carefully clearing the darkened space before allowing himself to focus on the suspended figure in the center of the room. Trapped in a force cage and fastened to the front of an Imperial torture table was the battered form of Kanan Jarrus, decked out in a uniform that was part street clothes, part armor.

The Mando strode to a nearby control panel, but found it inactive thanks to the overload. Frowning behind his helmet, Xel raised one of his pistols and shot the force projectors, then holstered his weapons and reached up to wrap both hands around one of the restraining coils. Grunting with effort, he used both Force and his crushgaunts to bend the metal restraints until they snapped. He repeated this tactic with the other side, picking up on movement and a low groan as Kanan began to regain consciousness.

"W-Who's there?" the Knight asked drowsily.

"It's me, Jarrus," Xel replied, grunting as he got to work on the leg restraints.

"Huh. I must still be sleepin'. No way you'd be caught _dead_ in a place like this."

Caden sighed hard. "Unfortunately, if I can't hurry this up, I just might be."

Xel gave a small cry of triumph when the last cuff burst in his grip, releasing the Jedi. Kanan reached out toward him shakily, grip solidifying as soon as Xel grabbed his shoulders, then turned to sling one of Kanan's arms over his own.

"Don't know what you're doin' here," Kanan admitted, "but I'm damn glad to see you—figuratively speaking."

"Figuratively?"

Xel stopped short and gave his scarred face a closer look, eyes widening behind his visor when he realized—

"Oh Force," Xel breathed. "You're—"

"Dead tired? Drugged to the gills?" Kanan smirked. "Ruggedly handsome?"

Caden hesitated a moment in shock. "Blind."

The Jedi Knight laughed half-hysterically, shoulders shaking with the motion. "Right—I always seem to forget that one."

Xel started moving for the door as he slowly came out of his daze. "It's just…I never noticed."

Kanan smiled. "I've been like this so long, most people don't. Used to wear a face visor so it was a little more obvious, but after a while…didn't seem to be much point."

Xel thought for a while as they traversed the first corridor. "So…how exactly do you get around if you can't see? How do you _fight_?"

"Oh, I can see just fine—so to speak."

"Just not right now."

Kanan nodded. "The Force allows you to transcend the bounds of physical form in more ways than one, but with all the drugs the Imps pumped into me, I'm having a really hard time concentrating—"

The door to the second corridor slid open with a hiss.

"—hence why I need you to be my eyes."

"Well that's good to know."

Xel and Kanan came to an abrupt stop, the former snarling at the sight of all four Inquisitors blocking their path.

The Grand Inquisitor stepped forward, shotos at the ready. "You know the drill, Mando. Give up now. You could barely handle us with two Jedi for backup—I hardly think one blind old man is quite enough."

Kanan "looked" at him with a taunting eyebrow. "Who are _you_ callin' 'old'?"

"And why do you keep trying to get me to surrender?" Xel asked. His head cocked slightly. "Wait…of course. You know who I am." His expression darkened. "Which means Vader still wants me alive."

The Grand Inquisitor snorted ungracefully. "Please. Lord Vader has better things to do than bother himself or us with a worthless disgrace like you. I'm simply trying to avoid a long and boring duel when this could all be settled with the same outcome with a few words."

Xel's eyes narrowed. "No…that's not it. I'm Mandalorian—surrender isn't in our _vocabulary_, much less our tactics. You know I'll never give up without a fight, so what are you—" His eyes widened in realization. "Ahh…I see. You're afraid."

The GI stiffened.

Xel disengaged from Kanan, putting himself between the Jedi and the enemy. "You fear for the outcome of this fight. You weren't worried before, on Bogden, not at all. But here—at this time, in this place, with these players…you are." Xel grinned. "I guess that's what happens when you come face-to-face with the man who slew your predecessor."

_That_ got a reaction from him. "Please," he snarled. "I was the one who captured them all in the _first_ place."

"Yes, when you had the element of surprise and they were drastically outnumbered. Now, it's four-on-two and you know that any second now, it'll be four-on-four thanks to my friends. And that's just Force-users. Doesn't even take into account the outright _legendary_ operatives we have with us. So ask yourself…" Xel drew his lightsaber, "do you _really _want to gamble on this fight?"

The Grand Inquisitor showed signs of nervousness for the first time since they'd met, and he froze rather suddenly before he radiated a burning fury. "Go, attack! He's stalling for time!"

Xel grinned malevolently. "I sure was."

_Snap-hiss_.

"And you fell for it," came Kanan's voice from behind as Xel's back was bathed in the green glow of his mother's lightsaber.

The Grand Inquisitor seethed for barely a moment before leaping forward with a furious roar, the rather confined spaces of the corridor not lending themselves to his acrobatic style—or those propeller sabers—at all. Xel and Kanan, by contrast, were doing just fine with their single blades, and aimed to carve a path straight through them by the way they kept shunting the enemy's strikes aside. Xel deflected a shot aimed at his neck and countered with an elbow to the chin of the Advozse, glancing back to see Kanan in heated combat with the Grand Inquisitor and easily holding his own.

He'd only seen the seasoned Knight in saber-to-saber combat a handful of times, but that had always been during practice. In a real fight…Xel would be hard-pressed to say he'd seen _anyone_ operate that smoothly, _especially_ not against three seasoned opponents at once. Aiming to take the heat off Kanan, Xel leapt straight for the Sakiyan, slashing at the back of his left leg and getting a backhand to the face for his troubles. First Brother made Xel his first priority, evidently still incensed about getting his other helmet destroyed, and laid on the hate as the Mando was forced to steadily backpedal.

It was only when his jetpack hit a wall and the First Brother had one hand clenched around his neck that Xel realized just how desperate things were. Kanan was busy and out of reach, Alen and Ezra were still a whole passage away, and Xel was running out of air. In a final maneuver of fury and coordination, Xel reached with his empty left hand and drew his Beskar knife, driving it deep into the side of the Sakiyan's rib cage and causing him to howl in pain. Using the sudden gap in his defenses, Xel shunted the Inquisitor's blade aside with his own and head-butted him solidly, then shimmied out of his grip and shin-kicked him in the gut.

He pivoted away when First Brother made a backhanded swing at him, leaping into a flying roundhouse to the face, then driving his left palm into his injured torso. The Sakiyan stumbled back in pain, and Xel leapt for Kanan, tackling him to the ground and shielding him with his body. The Inquisitors briefly froze in bewilderment at the sight—until First Brother began to beep. He had barely a second to pull the detpack off when it went off right next to a crucial power conduit. The next twenty seconds were a blur of rumbles, vibrations, and chained explosions that jarred Xel so heavily they threatened to render him unconscious.

Fortunately, he retained his senses, and slowly pushed himself upright as Kanan sluggishly joined him on his feet. When they turned around, Xel stared with a mixture of elation and panic. First Brother was buried under a mess of water-strewn rubble, Fourth Sister looked like she'd been through the wrong end of an ion generator, and the other two were sporting various injuries, but remained standing. To top everything off, there were ruptures in the hallway's structure all along its length, and water was spilling in from every point of defect.

After a few labored breaths, Xel found his voice. "The way I see it, you have two options. You can stay here, try to fight us two-on-two, and we all die when this wing goes down—"

"Or you can take your injured," Kanan added, "lick your wounds, and live to fight another day."

The Grand Inquisitor—who Xel was decently sure was human—gave them both a hard glare, looking every bit like he wanted to continue the fight, then relaxed slightly. "Very well. Another time then."

Tenth Brother slung Fourth Sister over his shoulder as the Grand Inquisitor gave First Brother's body a dismissive look before following the others out. Heaving a sigh of relief, Xel and Kanan exchanged a look, the Mando stooping down to retrieve his knife from the corpse before they too exited the corridor. Upon reaching the end of the third corridor, they found Ezra and Alen waiting in ambush, as promised. Xel and Kanan were nothing less than perplexed when they found out none of the Inquisitors had come that way, given that there were no other exits from that passage.

…

2 minutes later

"Kanan!"

The Jedi turned abruptly, glassy eyes unfocused but the areas around them lighting up in elation. "Hera!"

The couple crashed into each other's arms in the station's control center as they were unified once more, the others looking on with a mix of relief and uncertainty.

"I really hate to cut this reunion short," Alen said, "but we have slightly more pressing matters at the moment."

They turned to face him, Kanan speaking up. "How so?"

Alen shot Xel a look (which the Mando ignored, buried as he was in a nearby terminal). "My dear brother exploited a weakness in the station's power system—twice. The first time was bad enough, given how it strained the grid, but the second…"

"The second explosion was nothing short of disastrous," Sabine finished. "Given that the power grid was already in a state of disarray after the Grand Inquisitor triggered the overload, the resulting surge caused explosions all over the station. Long story short—we're leaking."

"Then let's get outta here," Zeb insisted.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Iola said. "Right after the Padawans linked up with Kanan and Xel, I checked the station's registry of transports—we're out of subs. They've all been taken by the facility's personnel to evacuate or were destroyed in the explosions."

"Now," Sabine added, "the good news is that we found another way out. The bad news is, that way is the _Ghost_."

"How is _that_ bad news?" asked Ezra.

"Because the only way out is up," Hera answered, "and the only way up is through the water. That'll take some retrofitting, which will take time."

"But more importantly," Sabine added, "even if we _do_ finish before we're all underwater, the engine output underwater will be several times lower than the _submersibles_ had."

"So?" Zeb asked. "Who cares how long it'll take gettin' to the surface? At least we'll be there."

"Because we won't make it that far," Ezra said in a resigned voice.

"He's right," added Kanan as he looked to the side absently. "I couldn't feel it before because of the drugs, but there's something out there. Something _big_." He frowned. "And I don't think it plans on letting us leave without a fight."

"Why didn't it eat all the _Imps_ then?" Zeb asked.

"Because _they_ had the tech to outrun it," Sabine answered. "We won't."

"Maybe we don't need it," Ezra said thoughtfully. "If we get close enough, I might be able to establish a mental connection with it. I've done it before."

"True," his girlfriend admitted, "but that's a pretty big risk we'd be taking. That thing's big enough to eat the _Ghost _several times over. If we're wrong, we'll find out pretty quick."

"She's right," Kanan said. "That's our last resort. Any other ideas?"

Nearly half a minute of silence passed before Alen spoke up. "I've got nothing. Unless one of you says different, I'm pretty sure our last resort is gonna have to be our only one. There's no way that thing'll let us go unless it's either on our side or _very _distracted."

"Or dead."

The two crews snapped their attention to the now-helmetless speaker, who until that point had been generally silent.

Alen gave his brother a look. "Xel?" he asked uncertainly. "What are you talkin' about?"

The Mando frowned at his terminal in concentration. "I'm talking about killing the Skra'akan. According to their records, that's what that thing's called. Apparently, the Imperials built this base here for precisely this situation. Anyone who isn't wanted gets eaten by the Skra'akan, as a sort of natural security system. The station emits a constant, low-level sonic pulse to keep it from attacking, but if I turn it off and activate its turbolaser defenses—"

"I've seen the schematics, Xel," Sabine interrupted. "This station doesn't have _nearly_ enough firepower to take out a creature of that size."

"That's not what it's for," he answered, eyes lighting up in excitement as he read something on the screen. "They're just the lure. The _station_ is the weapon."

Ezra and Sabine exchanged a look, the former asking, "Whaaat do you mean?"

"I mean…I'm gonna use this base's power core to turn this facility into a bomb."

They all stared at him for several seconds before Alen spoke up. "Whoa…whoa-whoa-whoa, hold up. This place runs on hydroelectric power, Xel. Energy constantly being collected, used, and recycled. There's no central power core to speak of."

"That's true," he conceded, still typing, "the primary system _is_ based on hydroelectric. But any good engineer knows that a facility this far from civilization, in such a hazardous environment, would need a—"

"Backup generator," Alen finished, eyes lighting up in realization.

"And for a station this size," Sabine added, "I'd wager it could power a small _city_."

"Uh huh," Xel confirmed. "And as luck would have it, that generator's core—"

He pressed a button that transmitted a 3D image to the holoprojector of the control room.

"—is nuclear."

Another brief period of silence passed before Alen turned to his brother with a suspicious expression on his face. "Wait…what are you not telling us?"

Xel frowned a little. "Because the Grand Inquisitor overloaded the station's automated security, I have to stay here to operate the gun turrets."

Tension immediately filled the room.

"You're not coming with us," Alen said flatly.

Xel's jaw tightened visibly. "No. Not at first."

The control center was silent for a full five seconds before it erupted into noise.

"This is insane!"

"Are you completely—"

"It's not worth—"

"Enough!" Xel shouted, the force of his voice shaking the room. "I've been calculating and working through this plan in my head ever since I felt the chain of explosions rock the base."

Iola stared at him aghast. "Obviously, you haven't worked through it enough if you still think this is a good idea."

"I don't plan on _staying_ here when it goes off, but I need to get that thing's attention somehow." Xel sighed and worked at the terminal. "Look. Look here. The enrichment ratio and mass density of the uranium core is such that the maximum yield of a converted bomb would have _maybe_ a half-mile radius. You guys evacuate in the _Ghost_, get to minimum safe distance while I hose the Skra'akan down with the station's turbolaser array and get it to hug the facility, then eject out an airlock and use my jetpack to get out and detonate the bomb."

"Half a mile is still entirely too far for you _or_ your jetpack to get you," Alen said. "That creature will catch you _long_ before you make that distance."

"Yes," Xel admitted. "Which is why I'm going to put _it_ between me and the station." He projected a series of complex mathematical calculations on the holoscreen. "I've done the math. The space, plus the shock absorption of the water, plus the approximate mass, density, and strength of that thing's body puts _my_ minimum safe distance around a quarter mile. Add to that my _beskar'gam_, and I can probably get even closer."

"That's assuming you'll even be able to get _that_ far," Iola said, tone alarmed. "If the submersibles could barely outrun the Skra'akan, what makes you think you have a chance?"

"With any luck, it won't spot me until I'm already quite a distance away. And if not, then I'll fight it for every inch."

Alen got right up in Xel's face. "Xel, that thing is the size of a _star_ cruiser. Exactly how much fight do you think you'll be able to manage?"

The Mando's lips pursed hard. "Enough."

Alen stared at him for a while, frowning hard, then turned to the others. "Can my brother and I have the room?"

Slowly, silently, everyone else filed out of the control room into an adjacent hallway.

The Jedi turned to Xel. "Are you absolutely out of your mind?" He threw his arms up to his sides. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to save our friends."

"And commit suicide, apparently. It's death by explosion or death by giant sea monster—"

"Or death by drowning," Xel interrupted, "if we don't get moving soon."

Alen sighed. "Xel—this is _crazy_, even for you. I know how much your visit to Eran screwed with your head, I know you still feel a degree of guilt for Hypori—"

"This isn't _about_ Hypori."

A pause. "Are you sure? Because this is starting to look an awful lot like a deathwish to me."

Xel frowned, eyes narrowed. "You think this is how I want to go out? Thirty thousand feet under the sea, parsecs away from home and family and everything I love? I _hate_ oceans, _especially_ deep-sea regions. You think I want to go out drowning, or in a blaze of nuclear fire? Eaten by some primeval monster?" He snorted. "_Di'kut_, please. For once in my life, I have a future that's _solid_, something that I can touch and actively look forward to. I have friends, a family, a woman who's crazy about me and I about her. Why in _haran_ would I give that up for a lackluster death in my least favorite kind of place?" He took a breath. "I know what I'm doing, Alen. It'll work."

Alen frowned and rolled his eyes. "I _know_, Xel. This is _you_ we're talking about. I know _it_ will work. But will _you_? When the explosion subsides and the dust settles, will you still work?"

Xel smirked. "If everything goes according to plan, I'll walk away from this with a few scrapes and bumps and one hell of a story to tell."

"Yes. If. _If_ it goes according to plan."

Xel took his brother's shoulders. "_Al'ika_, trust me. I have _zero_ intention of dying today. I _will_ come back."

Alen frowned harder, searching his brother's eyes. "You better. Because if I have to be the one to explain to Maila that I let you go through with something this stupid and crazy, I'm gonna be _pissed_."

The Mando grinned and laughed, slapping Alen's arm. "Trust me, _vod_, that's not a conversation I'd wish on my worst enemy."

Alen chuckled a little. "Because that woman is _scary_."

Xel just smiled. "I'll be fine. I promise."

The Jedi took a long breath and nodded firmly. "Okay."

…

All told, it took Xel and Sabine only a half hour to convert the station's backup generator core into a usable nuclear warhead, given that their ancestors practically _pioneered_ the technology. That, and they both specialized in explosive ordnance. Everything was set to go through with Xel's plan, much to the discomfort of all present except the man himself.

"The _Ghost's_ engines are successfully hardened against rapid salinization," Hera said over comlink. "All passengers are aboard."

"Roger."

Xel fidgeted and played with the stem of an underwater propulsion unit he'd scavenged from a maintenance station. Currently, it was attached to his jetpack, and would serve as a secondary rocket to get him as far as possible before his pack shorted out.

"Powering down the station's sonic emitters." Xel hit a few controls, a mechanical whine decreasing in tone over several seconds. "The moment the water settles, you swing back and get me, all right? Because I guarantee that my jetpack won't be working after a shockwave like that, and I am _not_ swimming all the way to the surface."

"You got it," Hera answered.

"One thing we didn't really go over," said Ezra, "how are you supposed to hold up to the water pressure? I know your armor can take it, but you're not exactly sealed in completely."

"It's the body suit," Sabine replied. "It's designed to stand up to extreme changes in pressure and temperature. If it can hold up to the vacuum of space, it can hold up to this."

"Ah, gotcha."

Xel's hands flew across the defense controls. "Sonar picked up the Skra'akan. Taking the first salvo."

Over the space of about a minute, one salvo of green plasma after the next cut through the ocean's dark depths. It took another thirty seconds for the station's scanners to pick up a response, and when the creature _did_ respond, Xel hardly needed sensors to know it. He could _feel_ its rage through the very hull of the station. One good look at the facility's forward visual scanners was enough to send a massive chill down Xel's spine. He averted his eyes from the feed and grit his teeth, punching the controls on a half-dozen turrets and sending more plasma fire into the creature. It howled harder, but this time, there was no fear response, only the primal surge of bloodlust he'd felt on his very first hunt in the jungles of Dxun.

So he grinned behind his helmet and kept firing.

One blow after the next slammed into the Skra'akan until it closed to about a quarter mile. Xel activated his comlink when this happened.

"_Ghost_, take the side exit and get to minimum safe distance."

"Roger that," Hera replied.

"May the Force be with you, Xel," Alen said.

"_Oya Xel'ika_," said Sabine. "_Kyr'amu meg skanah_." Kill that hateful thing.

Xel grinned. "_Elek_, _Sab'ika_. _Ib'tuur_ _jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur_."

Sabine chuckled malevolently, prompting Ezra to ask what he meant. "'Today is a good day for someone else to die.' _Ori'haat_."

Caden's hands flew over the firing controls, further luring the Skra'akan in as its massive body impacted against the fore of the facility. A look at the station's external camera feeds gave Xel an even more detailed vision of its body. Large tentacles protruded from much of its grotesque body, with its head long and massive, attached to the rest of the body by a long, sinuous neck. Its hide was a cross between that of a fish and a mollusk, half-scale, half-shell. All hardened. A closer inspection of its armored hide made Xel briefly wonder whether or not the nuke would be enough to kill it. He had no more time to consider this, as the _Ghost_ flew from one of the station's side hangars.

_I'm up._

Xel took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he made his way to a nearby emergency airlock. Taking another deep, calming breath and focusing himself in the Force, he hit the initial control to fill the chamber with water, then punched the release and thrust himself into the darkened recesses of Mon Cala's northern ocean. Pushing himself from the edge of the airlock, Xel just swam for the moment, not wanting to draw the creature's attention just yet. Speaking of which, he glanced back to find it opening its jaws wide enough to swallow most of the facility's exposed veneer. A gigantic circular mouth formed fully, jowls retracting to reveal row upon row of speeder-sized fangs that crunched into the hull of the station and caused major ruptures to its atmospheric containment.

The sight immediately gave a new urgency to his movements, and he forced himself to face forward to avoid being frozen in sheer terror. What he saw moments later overrode his measures. When Xel felt a nudge from the Force, he hesitantly turned back toward the station to see a single massive yellow eye staring directly at him, its lids closing halfway as the creature's jaw loosened, and it released a chunk of the station.

And immediately turned toward him.

A split-second of hesitation preceded the activation of both the propulsion unit and his jetpack, his armored body rocketing away from the Skra'akan at a massive speed as his HUD kept track of his distance from the station. Xel looked back forward toward the darkness, finding the empty black much easier to deal with than the ancient creature at his back. A bone-shaking roar vibrated through the water and dragged out for ten full seconds before Xel realized something was wrong. Namely—he wasn't getting any further away. Looking back, the Mando felt his heart leap directly from his chest when he saw the Skra'akan.

And the very much open, circular, fang-rimmed orifice currently in the process of sucking in the ocean—and Xel.

Feeling panic rising within him, Xel thrashed about and jammed his finger into the control of his jetpack—which was rapidly overheating under the strain of operating in such adverse conditions. Suddenly, a wave of calming energy came over him, and he felt his heart rate begin to stabilize. Looking out into the empty depths, he closed his eyes, opening himself to the Force, and felt his brother's presence clear as day, a source of hope and calm in the middle of his overwhelming fear. His dark blue eyes snapped open a moment later, turning toward the gaping maw barely two hundred meters behind him.

Both arms snapped toward and pointed directly at it, both WESTAR-35s armed and ready, along with every single micro-rocket on his person. A growl built in Xel's chest as he took a deep breath, releasing it a moment later in a blood-curdling battle roar as he let loose every scrap of ordnance on his person into the jaws of the beast. Explosion after explosion impacted the soft tissue of its gullet, and about twenty rockets later, the vacuum stopped, allowing Xel to jet away from the Skra'akan. The water propulsion system conked out seconds later, and he disengaged it to get rid of the dead weight.

Xel pursed his lips as the distance counter on his HUD reached .2 miles. A quick glance back revealed the Skra'akan rapidly gaining on him, its maw barely thirty meters away. His eyes squeezed shut as his right hand reached to a control on his gauntlet.

_Sorry, _vod_. This one's gonna be close._

…

Later, Xel Caden would wonder at what possessed him to hit the trigger that early, given that the minimum distance he'd given to Alen was a bit on the…low side. Meaning that the quarter mile he'd fed his brother and the others was about .05 miles less than it should've been (a fact that Sabine probably also knew, but conveniently left out of the discussion). All told, he was a full tenth of a mile closer to the blast than he should've been, which meant that the sheer concussive force of the explosion should've rendered him unconscious. As it stood, the initial detonation reduced the rock and steel of Gulomi Base to little but dust and shrapnel, as well as the majority of the surrounding terrain.

The Skra'akan's natural armor, given that it could hold up to sustained turbolaser fire, resisted much of the initial fireball, but the concussive impact that followed virtually shattered its armored body. Taking into consideration that Xel faded in and out of consciousness in the seconds that followed the deafening explosion, he didn't get to see much of the gory details. The good news was that the majority of the concussive force and heat energy dissipated around the Skra'akan's corpse like water around rock. Given that he was practically sitting in its mouth when the bomb went off, the collective damage of the nuke transferred to him was of just enough of a minimal degree that he could survive.

The bad news was that the force that he _did_ take knocked all the wind out of him and caused several considerable stress fractures—and not just to his bones. His body suit was torn in multiple locations, as well as the skin underneath. The seal on his helmet was likewise compromised, and between the pressure and leaking water, the oxygen flow to his brain was seriously disrupted. The impact of several tons of water relocating itself all around him was the final straw that rendered him unconscious.

…

"Is he alive?"

Alen's eyes were squeezed shut, his hands on Xel's chest and forehead. "Yes, but only just."

Ice-blue eyes slid open, zeroing in on the body below as their owner channeled the Force into his limbs and concentrated on his brother.

_Come on, you stubborn oak…_

Seconds later, wet, rasping coughs split the air of the _Ghost's_ dripping cargo bay as Xel slowly regained consciousness, much to the relief of all present. The Mando awoke to six pairs of concerned eyes on his face, blinking up at them owlishly.

"Um—"

Iola interrupted before he could say one more word, protectively crushing his form to her taller body. "Xel Caden, don't you _ever_ scare me like that again!"

The room fell awkwardly silent.

Ezra eventually turned to Alen. "Uh, isn't he _your_ brother?"

Alen shot him a look.

Ezra shrugged. "Just sayin'. Seems like that should be your line."

Alen just sighed and shook his head, stooping down next to the embracing pair as they slowly pulled apart, Xel hissing and tensing as he began to feel the fractures.

"When you're recovered," said the Jedi, "we're gonna have a _very_ long talk about how you keep finding yourself in these near-death situations."

A few slow blinks later, and Xel's lips stretched into a toothy grin, the Mando chuckling for a moment before cutting off abruptly in pain. He nodded slowly as Iola rubbed his shoulder. "Agreed."

"For now, though," said Sabine as they helped him up, "you just rest. I think you've done enough for one day."

"A day?" Alen asked. "Try a _year_. He'll be lucky if Maila lets him anywhere near his ship after this."

Xel's face paled. "Uh…about that—"

"No, Xel, I'm not talking to her for you."

"Alen—"

"No."

"_Vod_, please!"

"You made your bed, Xel, and you're gonna lie in it if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming."

Xel made inane grumbling noises as he was half-carried to the _Ghost's_ recovery deck. He was a little more coherent once he'd been laid on a medical berth. "Alen?"

"Yes?"

He gripped his older brother's hand. "Thank you."

Alen sighed. "You should never have to thank family for being there. But you're welcome. Now…rest."

Alen placed his hand on Xel's forehead, relieved when he felt him drop off moments later.

* * *

AN: Wow…longest chapter of this story, bar none. I really didn't want to drag the _Ghost_ arc out to five chapters though. Plenty more to come before the end of this story, another 14 chapters by my calculation (though one of those is technically the epilogue). I expect that all told, _Kandosii'tal_ will easily hit 400K words before this is all over, which is…_huge_. But anyway.

This chapter…I have a few things to say about this chapter. First off, there were parts of it that were unreasonably difficult for me to write, mainly because I started hyperventilating while typing. Something that's always stuck with me about this story is the similarities and differences personality-wise between the brothers. They're two sides of the same coin, not always agreeing but always ultimately on the same side. Add to that the fact that they're also two sides of _my_ personality, and you get a weird psychological mix that opens itself to quite a few possibilities conflict-wise.

In this case, it's phobias—more specifically, fear of extremely deep water. Not for the water itself, but what usually _lives_ in the water. I remember the first time I saw _Dead Man's Chest_—the scenes with the Kraken had to be some of the most unnerving and tense that I've ever experienced, mostly when it was dark. Encountering something like that above water is bad enough, but under? In its home territory? _Frack_ no!

So, suffice to say, in the scenes where I was writing about the Skra'akan (which A, is an actual creature in Legends, and B, was likely based off said Kraken), I had the misfortune of my overactive imagination going on overdrive, especially during the vacuum section. So…yeah, not the most fun for me to write, but I felt it necessary to add an element of…well, humanity to Xel. No matter how powerful you are, everyone's afraid of something. Granted, I think this is a pretty reasonable fear, but it took Alen's interference just to keep Xel from being paralyzed in terror.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this arc as much as I did writing it. I don't know how my output rate is gonna be for the foreseeable future, but I'm hoping to keep my momentum going. School's back up now though, so we'll see.

Please show me some love and leave a favorite and/or review.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	54. Calm Breaths

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

"Tackle! Tackle!"

"What do you _think _I'm trying to do? And what are _you_ doing, trying to tickle him to death?"

"What am I _supposed_ to do, _di'kut_, break myself on him? He's like seven feet of pure muscle, and I'm like 130 wringing wet."

"Excuses, excuses."

"Break! Snacks!"

Xel's head whipped around to see Ytris and Iola coming from the house with a massive platter held between them. His face split in a gigantic grin, the back of one fingerless glove wiping across his sweat-stained forehead as he clambered upright and moved toward the new arrivals. Seven other similarly grimy figures followed him toward the pair as they set the platter down on a crate set up for just the occasion. What he found made his mouth water almost to the point of drooling.

"Oh…_Iol'ika_…" He reached down and took a small slice of thick, floury goodness, popping it into his mouth. A low groan of appreciation came from this throat. "You've outdone yourself, yet again."

The Jerun grinned and shook her head. "Had a little help. Ytris has shown to be quite a natural in the kitchen."

The Caamasi shrugged and grinned. "I'm a quick study. And it helps that I had such a good teacher."

Iola smirked and sampled a bit of her own creation, staring down at it in surprise as the others took their shares.

Alen chewed his over curiously. "Hm…this tastes a bit different than your usual recipe. What gives?"

She looked up at him (down, really) with a little apprehension. "You don't like it?"

He blinked rapidly and hurried to reassure her. "Oh, that's not what I mean at all. It's _amazing_. Just a little…nuttier than I'm used to."

Iola shrugged. "Well, you can thank my understudy for that." She gently nudged Ytris with her elbow.

He smirked. "Klee-klee nuts, fine roasted and ground into the batter."

"Not a terrible addition," Clyde said with an approving nod. "This batch of _tizan_ might be my favorite yet."

"Yeah," added Kael with a grin, "if we ever get in a tight spot with food, you two are _so_ becoming team chefs."

"Glad to be of service," Ytris said with an exaggerated bow.

Teras Caden groaned in approval as the large Zabrak sampled the cake. "_Xel'ika_, remind me why we haven't put this woman to work? Can you imagine the kind of revenue we'd take in from Keldabe alone?"

"That's not even _mentioning_ what they've managed to rebuild of Sundari," added Elek Ordo. "Give it a few months, that city'll be back to its former glory."

"Though if we have anything to say about it," Teras said, "it will _never_ be our capital again. Too cushy."

"Speaking strictly for True Mandalorians, I don't think it ever _was_ our capital. Just a massive, bulbous eyesore against the otherwise barren terrain."

"Although," Cerril Ordo added, "to be fair, I suppose that _was_ the point. A last bastion in an otherwise inhospitable place."

"They should've left that plain bare," his father said darkly. "As a warning against those who would defile our traditions."

"Which _they_ did by attempting to turn us pacifist," Teras added. "And then trying to exile us when we refused to play along."

"I think Dad told me something about that once," said Xel. "Said something like, 'They realized rather quickly that attempting to push out a society of supercommandos with civilians was a _very_ bad idea.'" He smirked. "Or something to that effect."

Elek snorted a laugh. "And then they came crying back to us when the Death Watch dominated them." His head shook, eyes turning skyward with wistful remembrance. "Ah…the glory won that day…"

"There's something to be said about coming home on a column of fire," said Teras, arms crossed. "Burning away all the garbage that'd heaped up in our absence." He turned to Xel and Alen, smiling. "You should've seen the look on Xander's face when we razed the 'Royal Palace' to the ground."

Alen frowned a little. "Was there anyone in it?"

Teras' head shook. "Not after your mother was done with it." His features shifted when he picked up on Alen's surprise. "Did she never tell you? Telia was personally involved with the liberation of Mandalore. She knew that any Republic interference would be seen as a takeover, so she couldn't engage officially, but unofficially, she already loved Xander deeply enough to want to help."

"So," Xel said, "she and Xander arranged about a week of shore leave for their division of the GAR and came personally. Xander rallied as many Mando friends as he could, and they in turn did the same with theirs."

Alen stared at him. "He told you the whole story?"

His head shook. "No. And he specifically left out the part about Mom being a Jedi. Up to the point where I found his datacron, I'd always assumed she was Mandalorian, separated from Dad for some reason, probably backwash from a job gone wrong. So hearing about them coming back together to retake the homeworld wasn't much of a stretch in my mind."

"I was proud of her," Teras said. "No one ever figured out she was a Jedi, or even associated with the Republic. Didn't pull her lightsaber once, and whatever she used of the Force was so subtle, you couldn't really notice unless you were looking for it."

"What about her robes?" Alen asked.

The Zabrak's head shook. "Didn't wear 'em. She borrowed a custom-fit set of old Phase-I clone armor, helmet included. Xander specifically repainted it to look less like a Republic uniform and more like customized _beskar'gam_."

Alen's head cocked. "I never saw it."

His head shook again. "And you never would have. The last day of the war, she took a shot directly to the chest to save a fleeing child. Xander was _pissed_. The guy who fired got his rather painfully, and the armor was effectively ruined. She never wore it again. Never had to."

"Huh."

The group fell silent for a while as they ate in peace, Alen eventually motioning to Iola and Ytris.

"Why don't you guys come in and join us? Make it an even ten instead of an even eight?"

"Sorry," interrupted Elek, "still an even eight." He sat down on a smaller crate hard, pulling a flask of _tihaar_ from a pouch on his belt. "These old bones can't handle _get'shuk_ nearly as long as they used to."

"Uh huh," drawled Cerril disbelievingly. "And this is _totally _not just an excuse to drink at one in the afternoon."

Elek smiled toothily.

"'Fraid that means I'm out as well," Teras added, slumping down next to his old friend. "Ytris, _Iol'ika_, why don't you take our places?"

Iola grinned and shot Alen a smoky look. "It'd be my utmost pleasure."

The Jedi flushed a little and gulped hard as she sauntered onto the nearby field and bent over to grab a slightly elongated ball with both hands, unintentionally (or quite intentionally) giving him a perfect rear view of her. So stunned was he that he failed to notice the other players taking the field.

Iola looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk and arched eyebrow. "Well? You coming?"

Alen blinked twice and coughed hard, hurrying to catch up and form up next to his three teammates: Pelem, Ytris, and Iola; while they faced off with Xel, Clyde, Kael, and Cerril. He caught himself staring at the shapely Jerun on his right, so distracted that he hesitated just long enough to get bowled over by Cerril when the game started up again. The raucous, musical laughter he got from Iola was well worth the point they lost as a result.

…

Teras chuckled to himself when he saw the looks Alen kept throwing Iola when he thought she wasn't looking.

"Is that Telia all over again or what?"

Teras glanced over at Elek and grinned. "Spitting image. Always trying to keep things on the down-low, even though _everyone else_ already knows the deal."

"How long have they been together, you think? Two years? Three?"

"Two and some change." Teras' smile faded slightly. "Almost as long as_ Xel'ika's_ been single."

Elek gave him a short glance, then turned back to the match.

Teras' eyes flickered from one player to the next as the ball moved back and forth on the field, then focused on Xel as they came to a stop. They zeroed in on his upper torso as Xel bent over to coil up for a sprint, catching sight of the predominantly gray Mandalorian necklace that hung around his neck. Though initially frowning at the color, the sight of Xel tucking it back into his shirt prompted a memory that twitched his lips with a smile.

"Hey Elek."

"Hm?"

Teras grinned ear to ear. "You remember when Xel came back from that mission for the Rebels?" He chuckled compulsively. "Maila was absolutely _livid_. I swear she was gonna bust a gasket."

Elek laughed heartily at the memory. "Riiight, I remember. Damn near turned that gift of hers into a noose."

Teras chuckled again, eyes glazing over as his mind went back…

…

3 years ago

Makrin Star, Bormea sector

7 months ABY

"Mr. Jarrus—damn good to have you back."

Kanan nodded at Tobin and clasped his hand. "Good to _be_ back. From what I hear, you outsourced our rescue."

The captain shrugged and mock sighed. "You know how it is, Kanan. You work with what you've got."

Kanan smiled widely and turned halfway around. "I'm very glad you did."

Tobin winced at the sight of Xel, wondering exactly what would have to have happened to give him that many visible injuries—and prevent him from wearing his armor, to boot. "I'm not sure he'd agree, given his current state."

"No."

Tobin turned to Kanan, who was slowly nodding.

The Jedi looked toward Xel with unseeing eyes, his expression solemn. "He would."

The captain gave Kanan a long, searching look, sensing something else at play, but saying nothing. Instead, he approached Xel, who was being fussed over by Sabine, Ezra, and his brother.

Xel straightened up upon seeing him come closer. "Sir."

Tobin smirked. "Thought I told you something about going formal on me."

The young Mando blinked and cleared his throat nervously. "Yes, sir." A hint of a cheeky smile tugged at his lips.

Tobin just grinned. "On behalf of the Alliance—"

"And the crew of the _Ghost_," Hera added.

The captain smiled wider. "And the crew of the _Ghost_, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for the safe return of the Specters. And uh…well, this."

He motioned to a nearby assistant, who handed him a rather large briefcase. Tobin then offered it to Xel.

The Mando stared at the case for a while, eyes eventually drifting back up to the captain. "That's…much appreciated, sir. But not necessary." He smiled. "I was happy to help."

Tobin arched an eyebrow, beginning to understand why Kanan had said what he'd said. "All the same, I would feel…remiss if I didn't properly compensate you for your services. Professional perfection comes with a price, after all."

Xel's head tilted as he looked down. "Well, considering how much I owe you—"

"You don't," Tobin interrupted firmly, practically shoving the case into his chest. "Now take it, you stubborn bantha." At Xel's continued hesitation, he pulled the case back and smirked wryly. "Don't _make_ me give this to your brother. Stars only know what he'll blow it on," he winked at Alen, "ascetic that he is."

Xel paled slightly and rapidly reached forward to take the case in the hand not in a sling, wincing when he felt the weight and carefully handing it off to Iola instead. She took it with an amused grin and slowly shook her head as the Mando straightened up in an attempt to preserve his dignity.

"Thank you, Comma—Captain Tobin."

Tobin smiled and shook his head slowly. "You're very welcome, Caden. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Alen nodded. "Of course."

…

The _Kandosii'tal's_ reception as its crew left the _Makrin Star_ was vastly different than when it had first arrived a week prior. Word of the _Ghost's_ rescue had spread through the ranks like wildfire ever since they reached the surface of Mon Cala. Spies within the Alliance were exposed, an Imperial base completely annihilated, and some of the most skilled operatives in the _galaxy _were rescued from certain death. It was the kind of legendary story that brought back memories of a time when the Mandalorian ship and its crew were new and welcome additions to the Rebellion. Enough of the _Makrin Star's_ current crew remembered that time that Xel and the others didn't leave the ship unimpeded.

Instead, they found themselves somewhat waylaid by flocks of soldiers, techs, and other Alliance personnel that lined the halls and filled their entire path with the deafening sounds of applause. Cheers followed them into the hangar, all the way back to their ships, as the rebels gave their longtime allies a heroes' sendoff. Moments from boarding the _Kandosii'tal_, Xel felt a familiar set of eyes on his back, and turned around to lock gazes with a badly burned figure in the crowd.

Eran Riilos' green eyes peered back at him intently. He wasn't clapping with the rest, nor was he glaring at Xel with disdain. No, his scarred features were firm and solemn, but approving as he gave the distant Mando a slight but noticeable nod of respect. Xel managed a small smile in return, his own injuries more than apparent, nodding back once and holding his gaze for another moment or two before turning toward the ramp and plotting a course for Mandalore.

…

Caden residence, Mandalore

The familiar roar of approaching repulsor engines snapped a smiling red-skinned woman from her absent busy work, bent as she was over a custom speeder bike Teras had been helping her build. Mandalore's oppressive summer heat wasn't helping matters any, given that the garage was exposed to the elements, but she'd compensated with a rather brief but functional mechanic's outfit. Given the sound of the approaching ship, Maila felt a grin creep to her face at the thought of the look on its owner's face once he saw her in it. Wiping off her grime-stained hands on a nearby cloth, she marched her way out of the garage, gravel crunching under her boots as she approached the landing pad.

The slate-gray form of the _Kandosii'tal_ set down gently, the landing ramp taking longer than she'd expected to finally come down. When it did, one figure stepped off, in a gray synthleather jacket and dark blue pants. Maila's confusion at his apparel turned to shock moments later when she realized that jacket was only draped around his shoulders, and one of his arms was in a sling. In addition, the shirt underneath was a tank top that left his arms completely exposed, as well as the extensive white bandages wrapped all around them. When he reached the bottom of the ramp, Xel stopped short and just stood there, the couple staring at each other openly. Both of them were gaping, though for entirely different reasons.

Xel was the first to recover. "What…are you _wearing_?"

Maila blinked twice, then narrowed her eyes slightly in slowly building fury. "I could ask _you_ the same thing? Why does it look like you put on half a medical kit?" Her arms crossed, one raven eyebrow arching.

Xel smiled and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Well…funny story that."

Whatever he'd been about to say next was cut off abruptly as Maila snapped her arm out and yanked on the chain around his neck, her furious features up in his as she hissed her next words through clenched teeth.

"Spill."

…

About ten minutes later, Xel had experienced firsthand why his father had told him never to make a woman angry, _especially_ one that he was close to. Add to that the misfortune of having Teras, Elek, and Cerril there to witness the verbal thrashing, and it was all he could do not to sink into his seat until he became an incoherent pile of mush. Of course, the fact that Maila was wearing pants practically as short as the length of his sleeves (which is to say, nonexistent) helped with this somewhat, only to become a double-edged sword when he accidentally let a pleased smirk slip, and she caught on.

Then she'd yelled louder.

And as much as it had made his head hurt after a while, the emphatic gestures and raging emotions she'd emitted had only made her more attractive in his eyes…or maybe that was all the pheromones she was exuding without even meaning to. Either way, Maila's fury was decidedly _not_ having the effect she'd intended, a fact which she seemed to realize by the fact that she was now glaring at him silently, chest heaving with exertion as she stood over him. Her hands went to her hips.

"Well?" she asked. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Xel's eyes twinkled with amusement, and he reached out suddenly to pull her into his lap, the woman gasping in surprise as he grinned into her face. "You're _beautiful _when you're angry."

Maila just stared at him like he'd grown a second head until he kissed her, practically crushing her against his chest with his good hand. That lasted about a second before he hissed at the contact against his injured torso, pulling away abruptly to cringe in pain, jaw clenching.

"Yeah, you _might_ want to _not_ act like an idiot," Maila scolded. Her features softened in concern. "Least until you can kiss me without wincing."

Xel smirked playfully. "I better hurry up then. It's been _weeks_, Mail." He grinned wolfishly. "I'm feeling a little deprived."

She snorted and arched an eyebrow. "You'll be lucky if I don't force you onto the _couch_ after what you pulled. Detonating a nuke right on top of yourself? How did Alen let you talk him into this?"

"Hey, there _were_ like half a dozen other people there and they didn't stop me either."

"Yeah, but he's your _brother_. If anyone can call you on your bantha dung, it should be him."

Xel rolled his eyes and groaned. "For the last time, it was not—"

Maila kissed him soundly but gently, taking care not to put any excess pressure on his chest or anything else. She pulled away a few seconds later with a frown, pressing her forehead against his. "I'm never going to get used to your crazy stunts, Xel," she said softly. "I hope you understand that."

"I know," he replied in the same tone. "But sometimes it takes a little crazy to survive."

She stared at him for a while, taking a deep breath and releasing it in a sigh before gently patting his chest and getting up. "Come on."

Maila held out her hands, and he took them with his one as she hauled him upright. Xel put his good arm around her shoulders as she walked through the house with him.

"You're gonna have to explain why I came home to find you practically half-naked, and you didn't even know I was coming."

She snorted. "Have _you_ ever worked with a plasma torch out in the burning heat of this planet?"

He chuckled softly. "Fair point."

…

Present

It was with a great deal of built-up heat and sweat that their little _get'shuk _tourney had broken up and gone inside for a proper lunch—and minor medical attention. Given the extreme contact nature of the sport, a few bumps and bruises were somewhat expected, but given that most of the match's participants were Force-users, they were able to mitigate the worst of the damage rather quickly. The bruises were left, as per Xel's insistence. He claimed it "built character." Kael had to snort at that, and keep laughing at him, given that he'd been one of the most prolific tacklers on her team—and one of the most tackled.

He'd attempted (with limited success) to tank most of his team's punishment, for some reason, _especially_ when Kael was the one with the ball. A brief thought that it was because she was a woman flitted through her head before he remembered how viciously he'd dragged Iola to the ground in one play—both laughing the whole time, but still. That and the fact that, apart from romantic context, Mandos didn't _see_ male or female dissuaded her of the notion. Between her training on Athiss and what she'd learned from Karlaius while on the run, Kael had picked up rather quickly how to observe someone without being spotted, and right now, she was using those skills to analyze Xel.

Her contact with him over the seven months before they'd joined up for their hunt had been somewhat limited, and they hadn't met physically until Ne'tra Tor had brought his unconscious body to her home on Bakura. In the time since, she'd noticed that his attention to her, both in opinion and physical proximity, had increased by a relatively large amount, given his typical distance to most everyone else. The only exceptions to that distance seemed to be those directly related to him by clan or blood, Iola, and Clyde. And her. She, however, was receiving attention she hadn't seen him give _anyone _for…a very long time.

…

3 years ago

Gray Academy, Athiss

11 months ABY

"Deep breaths, Clyde."

He chuckled warmly. "I know." He dramatically stroked his chin for a few moments, irritating his opponent, then making a move that sent a grumble through the other man's throat. Clyde grinned. "Your turn."

Xel shot him a dark look, then looked down at his mostly-empty side of the Dejarik board and began to mope.

That is, until a slender red arm curled around his shoulders from behind, raven hair and a tickle of warm breath brushing the back of his neck.

"You got this," a sultry voice drawled in his ear, its owner smiling at Kael playfully when the other girl shot her a look.

Xel's face began to redden, but his expression was far from disoriented or disturbed. No, he was completely focused, a smile twitching at his lips as a sparkle of triumph flickered through his eyes. He reached for a dial under the table, and the Dansen siblings watched in surprise as he executed a brilliant move that took out one of Clyde's most powerful pieces. Clyde's eyebrows hiked upward as he slowly nodded in approval.

"Nicely done," he admitted as Xel leaned back into Maila's arms with a smug grin. Clyde stroked his chin again. "Here's my counter."

Xel's face fell completely when Clyde executed a gambit he'd been planning for six moves and fulfilled the ultimate objective of the game. It was Clyde's turn to lean back smugly, and in response, Xel sent him a thinly veiled glare and chucked a used food carton at his head. Clyde dodged it easily, laughing, and the others joined him a second later as they all got to their feet. Clyde shook Xel's hand and bowed his head slightly in respect.

"You put up a good fight, friend."

Xel smirked. "Yeah, well…I'll get ya next time."

Kael laughed. "You say that _every_ time."

Caden shot her a smiling glare, and Maila laughed harder, sending Kael a wink behind his back. Maila looped her arms around his midsection and pulled his back flush against her, his attention immediately diverted and focused on the Zeltron woman. He turned around in her arms and pulled her closer, her head pressed against his chest as he stroked her hair, looking for all the world like the other two weren't even in the room. Sensing his intent, Clyde and Kael bowed out of the room, leaving Xel's dwelling in the Academy. Before she left completely, though, Kae paused in the doorway, glancing at the couple as they stared, completely enamored with each other.

A quiet, shuddering breath was drawn from Kael's throat as she felt a dull ache in her chest, forcing herself to turn away and focus on anything else.

…

"Can I ask you something?"

Maila looked over from her seat on an adjacent log. "Hm?"

Kael frowned and looked at the ground. "How…how did you and Xel meet?"

Maila blinked once, then took a deep breath as her lips slowly spread into a grin. "Not the old-fashioned way, that's for sure. He was on a job, and I happened to be working for the man he was hired to capture. He tricked me into revealing his location, and I found it so impressive, I invited him to contact me again."

Kae's eyebrows arched upward. "Seriously? You were enemies?"

Maila chuckled. "No. Never enemies. Just on opposite sides of an equation, in that particular situation. I made it up to him the next time we met." She frowned suddenly. "Though considering how that eventually turned out, I'm not sure I did him any favors."

"Why?"

She looked up at Kael. "Because that's the day his father died. Xel was ambushed by Darth Vader when he went to say goodbye and found me long gone."

Kael's eyes widened, a sigh coming from her throat. "Dang."

"Yeah." Maila stared absently into the distance, a bitter smile coming to her throat. "It's kinda funny. Looking back now, it seems I've been there for _all_ of his greatest losses. Father. Mother. Girlfriend…ish?" She shrugged. "He cared about her, and she for him, but I don't think anything ever happened between them."

Kael frowned a little and looked up in thought. "Alen told me you made a two-sided deal with him…and he only cashed in the other side once."

Maila snorted a laugh, nodding. "When we met after his mother was first kidnapped. I was nervous at first, thought he'd blame me for what happened to his dad."

"But he didn't."

Her head shook. "Save when it comes to himself, he's always had good instincts about where blame really lies. No, he assured me I had nothing to worry about from him, and then proceeded to save my life—twice. Even took me to a secret safehouse to keep me safe."

"A safehouse?"

"An apartment they'd bought on Nar Shaddaa. It was…nice." She smirked. "_Especially_ the bed."

Kael arched an eyebrow at her. "The bed? So he was gentleman enough to sleep on the couch?"

She grinned wolfishly. "No. But he _is_ gentleman enough."

Golden eyes went wide. "_Oh_. Then…then you two—"

Maila chuckled. "No, we didn't. And we haven't. Or, at least…_he_ hasn't."

Kael shot her a surprised look. "Really? I'd have thought you'd be able to convince him otherwise, or at least want to."

She laughed again. "I'm a Zeltron. Of _course_ I want to." Her smile faded to a warm curve. "But he told me no, and made it very specific that's not what he wants…yet. I respect him far too much to press the issue."

Kael nodded, smirking wryly a second later. "Fair enough. But you guys have been together for what, like a year now? Two years?" At Maila's questioning eyebrows, Kae grinned teasingly. "Can't be easy having your needs go unfulfilled."

Maila chuckled deeply. "Oh, trust me—" her eyes went almost predatory, "—he has his ways."

Kael's face went red as a Laigrek's eye, much to Maila's enjoyment, and Kae couldn't help but laugh along with her, a small part wondering if she was just yanking her chain. Considering the desire and anticipation rolling off Maila when she spotted Xel approaching at a distance with his bare arms exposed by a tank top, that notion was completely dismissed.

…

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

It never failed to impress Pelem how much food and drink Xel could put away seemingly without effort. As a man of his size and mass, he knew all about mass consumption, especially when bulking up, but Xel? The man was on a whole other level, and not just with food, either. The range of his martial skills was daunting enough, but in Force ability? As far as raw talent went, even _Clyde_ couldn't comfortably compete on the same level without exerting a considerable amount of effort. Alen had always relied more on his skills with a blade, and Kael and Ytris' abilities lay in the healing arts.

Pelem himself was a master sniper, which was just about the only thing he had over Xel, and even then he was far from a natural at it; he'd worked his ass off to get to his level. Even his skills as an engineer were barely a cut above Xel's. And yes, he knew their team wasn't prone to competition, but _he_ was, even back during his days as a Jedi youngling. _Especially_ back then. Truth be told, to a degree, he'd felt intimidated by Xel ever since the younger man had started to find his center. Pelem considered it a stroke of just about the best kind of luck that he'd managed to gain Xel's trust as he did. Knowing exactly what the Mando was capable of, if they weren't friends, he would be downright _frightening_. As it stood, he was just unsettling at times, and usually only when someone close to him was threatened.

And _that_ was something the older Gray Knight could certainly relate to.

…

2 years ago

Gray Academy, Athiss

1 year, 3 months ABY

Xel peered down the sights of a KiSteer 1284 rifle, slowly releasing a breath as he tracked a faraway target in its scope. He held that breath for a moment, then smoothly squeezed the trigger, releasing a high-speed tungsten slug that pierced the tough hide of a large creature, burying itself deep in the target and finding a critical organ. It was dead before it hit the ground, and the rest of the hunting party was quick to move in to collect its corpse as Xel handed the rifle back to its owner, one slightly slack-jawed Pelem Tercer. Slack-jawed because he'd taken the shot from more than half a mile away with a scope designed to cover maybe a third of that distance.

Granted, Pelem could've made the shot even quicker and more easily than he did, but still. Someone with that kind of skill at incredibly long range, and with a _slug thrower_ instead of the typical particle beam rifle? _That_ was impressive. Take also the fact that he'd had to contend with a fast-moving target shuffling through various tree cover and foliage, and that Xel had taken the shot from the top of the Academy's relatively low wall, and the engineer-knight was more than a bit shocked. He knew Xel had to have used the Force to kill the beast. There really was no other explanation. As one of his small circle of friends, he also knew that it was a shot he couldn't have made eight months ago. Hell, he probably couldn't have made it _four_ months ago.

On the anniversary of the Death Star's destruction, Xel and his friends and family had met up with some old friends in the Alliance at one of their mobile bases and basically drunk themselves into oblivion, despite some of the personnel's concerns about the twins being minors. Xel had laughed himself silly at that, and Alen proceeded to reassure them that he would be abstaining from hard alcohol. Given that that night was barely a week away from their shared sixteenth birthday, Xel had removed his choice in the matter and spiked his Jawa juice with clear liquor. He hadn't used a lot per drink, just enough not to be detected but still have effect. Since Alen hadn't expected the move, he just kept getting refills.

He was the equivalent of three shots in before he realized what had happened, and then it was a battle for him to just stay standing. Xel had relentlessly teased his older brother about being such a lightweight, whereupon Alen had replied that he took after their mother—apparently, she'd been the exact same way. There had been a brief moment of sobriety for them both, and the room had fallen silent at the mention. Of the pair, Xel had smiled first after staring out a nearby window into endless space. It had been strange to Pelem's eyes, the way his expression had evolved.

A touch of regret, a hint of sadness, a bittersweet moment of realization, and finally, a wide grin that spoke of profound gratitude and affection. And the look in his eyes…there was a light there that hadn't been present even after his second experience in the Academy's temple. It was like he'd seen something in the void, something that had lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders and absolved him of whatever remaining traces of fierce shame and regret he'd carried. The brothers regretted _everything_ come morning, but Xel's hangover was mild enough that he could laugh at Alen without that much of a headache.

Pelem smiled at the memory, looking over at Xel to see the younger man pulling off black fingerless leather gloves and wondering at them.

"Hey," Pelem called, nodding at him when he looked back. "What's with the gloves? I've never seen you with those before."

Xel glanced down at his hands, smiling wistfully before looking back up at Pelem with a twinkle in his eye as they started walking back. "Birthday gift from Maila. Since I usually just wear my crushgaunts, I kinda tucked them into a spare storage drawer on my ship and forgot about 'em. Ran across 'em while I was looking for replacement parts for one of my pistols. I figured they were more practical for daily use than gauntlets made of Mandalorian iron, thus why I'm wearing them."

Pelem nodded and hummed absently, scanning the academy as they descended from the wall and feeling something off. Distant sounds of a commotion reached them on the steps, and they strained to look over the buildings to see several robed figures carrying someone into the medical building. Exchanging a glance, the pair made their way down and half-ran to the med center, both stopping short once they saw who was hurt. Pelem's jaw dropped completely open, first at the identity of the patient, and then at the severity of his injuries.

"Ytris," he breathed, numbly approaching his friend's medical bed.

The Caamasi sluggishly craned his head to look at Pelem. "'Ey, Pel. Sup?"

At his side, Xel arched an eyebrow. "Since when does he talk like that?"

"Since he got injuries bad enough to merit two full doses of nullicaine," Kael answered as she moved in from a separate room wearing a doctor's coat.

Pelem's eyes widened in alarm. "Is it that bad?"

Her lips pursed as she glanced in his direction. "If Caamasi weren't so hardy, the damage would be much worse. As it is, I can't have you in here distracting me. Clyde—"

"I got it, sis," he replied from behind the newcomers, taking Pelem by the arm.

Once they were outside, Xel spoke up. "What happened to him?"

Clyde frowned and faced them. "Athiss was once a battleground in the Galactic War of the Old Republic. As such, there are areas where ordnance left over from that fighting lays dormant, and even after millennia, some of it still works. Ytris ran across one such object while investigating a ruin with his team, and he accidentally tripped it. He avoided the worst of the explosion, but a nearby tree was shattered and the shrapnel from that hit him dead on."

Xel whistled through his teeth and shook his head. "Almost taken out by a three-thousand-year-old landmine. Damn."

"Is he going to pull through?" Pelem asked tensely.

Clyde glanced at him. "Kael will do all she can once he's in a proper healing trance. At this point, the hardest part is removing the shrapnel. With their combined efforts, he'll be just fine."

Xel released a sigh. "That's a relief." He glanced between the building and Clyde. "Let us know how it goes, okay?"

Clyde nodded once, prompting Xel to turn away and move toward the residential buildings. He noticed Pelem was still standing there a few moments later. "Need something?"

Pelem frowned and looked down at him, eyes narrowed. "Ytris is entirely too light-footed and careful to set off a landmine, _especially_ on artifact hunts where the target bounty is so delicate. So what _really_ happened, Dansen?"

Clyde's expression darkened, lips pursing. "I couldn't speak with him here." He nodded at where Xel had disappeared to. "Come with me."

Pelem blinked in confusion, but followed Clyde. It took him a while to realize where they were going, but when he identified Fenrim's hut, his blood went cold. It would take a matter of _deadly_ proportions to necessitate the attention of Master Uln.

…

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

Alen Li-am found it hard to believe that he had known his brother for less than six full years. A little over half a decade, and there were things they knew about each other even their own _parents_ had never learned. Although, he supposed that was what happened when your brother was also your closest friend. Like any close friends, they had their spats and disagreements, but ultimately always found themselves on the same side of virtually any situation. It was a testament to how far they'd both come that he could even _say_ that, given how different they'd always been and continued to be. Though Xel seemed cocky and headstrong and rarely acknowledged his limits, there was a quiet humility to him—and a persistent streak of self-deprecation that annoyed Alen to no end.

Especially irksome was Xel's tendency to put him up on a pedestal, as if Alen was the perfect scion of goodness. Alen loved that his little brother looked up to him, but there was a fine line between respect and idolatry. One allowed them to learn from each other. The other gave one of them unreasonable expectations and set the other up for disappointment. To Alen's great comfort (and mild embarrassment), he had more than enough memories, many quite recent, of Xel saying and doing things that seemed very _specifically_ tailored to keep the Jedi's ego in check. In truth, he realized that any fears of being turned into an icon in Xel's mind were absolutely unfounded. The only real danger was that Xel would somehow forget his own virtues, or allow them to be outshined by what he perceived Alen's to be.

Yes, Alen abided strictly by the Light, yes, Xel was prone and conditioned to bouts of fierce violence and other legally (and sometimes ethically) questionable practices. But did Alen consider himself better than his brother? Not in a thousand years. Alen didn't believe in ends justifying means, but nearly six years working and living with Xel and the Grays had shown him the darker, grittier side of the galaxy that the Jedi Code failed to mention. This was not an age where adhering to dogma would do anyone any good, and truthfully, Alen often wondered if the Order's obsession with that dogma had blinded them to the threat of the Sith during the Clone Wars and ultimately contributed the most to their downfall.

Based on his occasional conversations with Bardan Skirata, who had left the Jedi not long before Order 66 because of this, he was inclined to assume so. Life rarely played out in black and white; to assume otherwise out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness would be a colossal mistake, one that Alen had made more than once in his younger days. It would not have been hyperbole to say that Xel had taught him the error of his ways in that regard. Likewise, Xel had learned the hard way the value of temperance with regard to his aggression. The more Alen thought about their fraternal history, the more he realized that they were two sides of the same coin.

On the one hand, Xel's inner fire had needed a counter, a means to control and properly direct his aggression without consuming everything in his path. On the other, until he met Xel, Alen's fierce sense of justice and belief in a firm right and wrong had been lacking the drive and, yes, a certain amount of fury to apply those values to the real world in a way that would ultimately make a difference. They owed each other a great deal, a fact that Alen had commented about to him once. He'd laughed heartily at that, then told his brother in no uncertain terms that barring extraordinary circumstances, they were, "perpetually even."

Of all the lessons they'd both learned over the years, though, there was one that had always stuck with Alen the most: no matter what happened, no matter where they went or what they did, they _needed_ each other.

…

2 years ago

Gray Academy, Athiss

1 year, 4 months ABY

"A little late for a visit, don't you think?"

Xel frowned a little at the holocron's declaration. "I guess I just wanted to make sure we wouldn't be disturbed."

"By the other students…or your brother?"

Xel sighed and bowed his head slightly. "Both. It's not that I don't trust Alen. It's just that there's…a question I needed to ask you, free of outside opinion or judgment."

"And in this case, you only feel free to speak if we're alone."

Xel nodded.

Master Li-am pursed his lips and nodded solemnly. "Ask."

The boy took a deep breath. _Here goes._ "Did you ever receive…visions?"

The hologram stayed silent for a while. "I assume you ask this because it's a phenomenon you've personally experienced."

Xel nodded.

Li-am "sat" on the edge of the open holocron's center, frowning with a hand on his chin. "And is this experience what ultimately led to the massacre over Hypori? Or is it something different? Something more…" his eyes narrowed slightly, "recent?"

Xel started a little, then pursed his lips tightly. "That's what I'm worried about."

The Jedi Master took a deep breath. "Talk to me. What have you seen?"

The Mando leaned back in his seat, looking up at the ceiling of the library briefly before huffing and facing the hologram. "It's…I don't know exactly. It's not at all like Hypori. Nothing's anywhere _close_ to clear."

"Visions from the Force rarely are, in substance or meaning."

Xel frowned. "Yeah. I learned _that_ one the hard way."

"But this time feels different somehow."

A nod. "It's not about some great battle, or—or thousands of deaths because of some cataclysmic event. It's more like…I don't know. Like there's something on this world that I need to find." He frowned. "And something that intends to stop me from finding it." Xel could've sworn he saw a dark expression flicker over the hologram's features.

"If that _is_ the case, then you _will_ need your brother's help."

Xel sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."

Li-am shrugged. "The simple truth is that although you're the one with the vision, you simply don't know enough about Athiss to find whatever it is you're looking for. Your brother? Your friends? They do. And you shouldn't _want_ to go it alone. If I may deign to leave behind my humility for a moment…" he smirked, "not even the most legendary of heroes can accomplish anything of true value alone. Anyone who tries will find that even their best intentions can turn very sour very fast. Trust me, take it from someone who _knows_."

Xel frowned, jaw tightening briefly. "Yeah. I figured you'd say something like that."

Master Li-am shot him an amused look. "How so?"

He smirked. "Because you and my brother have a lot more in common than just a name. If your conversations with him haven't already proven it, he's the one person in the galaxy you can always trust to uphold your legacy."

"And you, apparently, are the one person I can always trust to undersell himself."

Xel blinked and stared at him.

Li-am smirked. "Evidently, you have more than a thing or two in common with _my_ Xel too. Your trigger was the result of your actions at Hypori. His was over a decade of working for an empire he despised. You both share a fierce hatred of Sith ideology…and a love of Mando culture. Or…just _love_ in general, really." He chuckled. "That bitter _chakaar_ taught _me_ a thing or two about what love really meant. In turn, I equipped him with every tool possible to defend the objects of that love."

Xel's eyes widened. "You..._you_ taught him to use the Force."

The Jedi nodded. "He knew the Sith would only attempt to exploit him had he revealed his talents, and since we'd already worked together, he figured I was enough of an 'insufferable goody-good' that I wouldn't go that route." He smiled. "He was right."

Xel's voice dropped to a whisper. "Just like us."

Li-am's lips pursed. "If there's anything I can tell you about your visions, it's this: the Force never shows you anything without reason. If you think this thing, whatever it is, is important, then it probably is. Finding it will be critical to achieving your potential, and likely necessary for the defense of others. My Xel may not have believed in the coddling of others, but a fight without challenge was a fight without honor. I get the feeling you think on similar lines."

Caden frowned. "Similar. Not exact. I'm not him."

The hologram flinched slightly. "I apologize. That wasn't what I'd meant."

"I know. I just…still haven't quite figured out who I'm supposed to be, where I fit in the galaxy. And I sure as hell don't need anyone imposing expectations with that based on someone _else_."

Master Li-am nodded. "Yes, you're right. Of course. Regardless, if you find yourself in need of further advice," he bowed courteously, "you know where to find me."

Xel nodded. "I appreciate it. And everything you've done for the both of us."

He shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm just a glorified holobook now. You'd never have learned a thing if you hadn't found me and showed me a willingness and hunger to learn." He smiled. "It has been my honor to teach both of you the ways of the Force."

Xel smiled. "And I hope you'll still be teaching us for many years to come." He snorted. "Stars know we _need_ it."

Li-am laughed. "The first step to fixing a lapse is acknowledging there is one." He smirked. "Your brother still has to learn _that_ one."

Xel grinned at the stone tiles of the library. "He inherited our parents' stubbornness. It's a redeemable quality, when put to proper use."

"Just make sure it is."

He shrugged. "Why me? You're much better qualified to teach him than I am."

"Maybe so, but he has to come to me. You're there with him practically every day, and as such it's your responsibility to correct him when I, or anyone else, can't—or won't."

Xel pursed his lips and shrugged. "I understand."

He smiled. "Good. Then please, go with my blessing, and the will of the Force."

Xel bowed politely, watching absently as the holocron's parts floated and shifted back into one piece, and the image of the Jedi Master faded to nothingness. He stared at the empty space for a while, then turned toward the door, a smirk briefly coming to his face. He huffed out a small laugh, then made his way back home for some well-earned sleep.

…

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

It was a decidedly pleasant ache that greeted Xel's body at the end of the day. He'd almost forgotten the feeling of a hard day's work without conflict. Well…_armed_ conflict anyway. _Shab_, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had that much fun, just for the sake of _fun_. His body gently hummed with the effects of his room's attached sonic shower, allowing the vibrations to loosen and relax his taxed muscles as he rolled his head in slow circles. The muffled thumps and movement he heard through the walls alerted him to the nightly preparations by the rest of his team and family.

A smile slowly came to his features as he stretched himself out in the shower, gently laying his head against one of the chamber's tiled walls, eyes sliding shut. He could just imagine them in their respective rooms, their routines all too predictable. Uncle Teras would be ushering Cerril and Elek to their rooms for the night, claiming that sending them home would be poor hosting. Pelem and Ytris would engage in their nightly meditation, then separate to take one of the guest beds and the floor, respectively. Xel had tried to get the Caamasi to take a proper room, but Ytris would have none of it—he practically _slept_ in meditation. Ne'tra Tor was back on the ship, by his own choice, of course, since he felt it would imbalance the _get'shuk_ to engage and, well, he wasn't really feeling the festivities. Xel wouldn't begrudge him a day to himself.

Clyde would be executing one of around sixteen different Form V katas he'd invented or picked up from his studies, out in the open air of the clan grounds. Alen would be trying to keep a fierce blush from staining his cheeks at Iola's relentless teasing and flirting (it always got more intense at night), but eventually give in because, truth be told, he enjoyed that side of her. And Kael…well, she was another matter entirely. No two nights were ever the same. She might go for a caf and cake (she, like him, had a weakness for Iola's confections), or spend her last ten minutes awake performing a late-night workout to shock her body into feeling tired. He did know that of everyone in this house, she had the hardest time falling and staying asleep.

Xel had to wonder why that was, and stepped out of the shower resolving to get an answer. Slipping on his house clothes, a pair of sweats and nondescript shirt, he strode from his room and searched the house bit by bit until his nose picked up the familiar scent of Belsavian orchids, head turning toward its source and legs taking him toward it. He stopped in the doorway of the house's study, leaning against its frame and sighing gently as he peered inside. A soft blue glow tinted Kael's dirty blonde hair, a familiar deep voice filling the room as she stared at its source. Xel's eyes flickered to the hologram, then to the projector, a familiar small, cube-like object.

"Above all, I want you to know just how proud I am of you, how proud I am to be your father. My only regret is not being there to see the kind of man you'll become, but I know that whoever that is, he's going to change the galaxy._ Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum_, Xel."

A breath shuddered through Xel's chest as his eyes stung with familiar tears, closing so he could rub them. He took a deep breath and sighed audibly. "_Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, buir_."

Kael started and snapped her head around to stare at Xel openmouthed. "Xel—I—um…"

Xel smiled gently and waved dismissively, sauntering up to her and turning to face his father's datacron. "It's all right." He took another breath. "This is…probably the closest you'll ever come to meeting one of my parents, after all."

Kael frowned and looked him over. "Maybe not."

Xel arched a questioning eyebrow at her.

She smiled a little. "Listening to your father's message…seeing his hopes and dreams for you and your brother...you're their legacy, Xel. From what you and Alen have told me about them, I see more and more of your parents in you two every day. They would be _so_ proud of who you've become."

Xel stared at her for a while, turning back to the still image of his smiling father and adopting a smile of his own as his vision clouded over with forming tears. "That's all I've ever wanted…to be a good son to my _buire_."

"And you are that." Kael gently took his arm, gripping the crook of his elbow. "That and so much more."

Xel bowed his head and sniffed, letting the tears fall freely as he covered her hand with his own. "_Ori'vore_, _vaar'ika_."

Kae smiled and gently laid her head against his shoulder. "_Be'gedet'ye_, Xel."

* * *

AN: This was just about the last downtime chapter before this story ends. Things are going to pick up in the flashbacks big time. Not much to say about this chapter. Just hope you enjoyed the calmness to this one and a bit of character development all around.

The next chapter will be up soon, I hope. If not, I think this is a pretty decent let-off point for now.

Please review and recommend this story to your friends.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


	55. A Matter of Confidence

Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

To Alen Li-am, terrifyingly awkward situations were some of the most odious. Danger? Tension? Negotiation? Those he could handle. But awkward, embarrassing moments of confrontation with situations that were otherwise innocuous? Nope. No sir. Absolutely not. So, when faced with the sight of his brother and Kael Dansen passed out on a couch in the study, with Xel's mouth hanging open and her head plastered to his shoulder—with her brother Clyde standing next to Alen—the veteran Jedi Padawan was reduced to a blankly staring mess of blushing human.

"Well…"

Alen's head snapped to look at a smirking Clyde.

"…at least they're still clothed."

If it was possible, Alen blushed an even deeper shade of red. "You mean…"

"What?" he interrupted with an arched eyebrow. "You were expecting me to drag him off and beat the tar outta him?"

Alen shrugged noncommittally.

Clyde just chuckled. "Who my sister spends her time with is her business." He grinned malevolently. "I just get involved if they step out of line." He nodded toward the kitchen. "Come on. I'm hungry."

"As am I," exclaimed Iola rather suddenly as she grabbed Alen from behind, causing him to yelp quietly.

Alen gently cleared his throat and remained silent as he led them away from the study, taking Iola's grasping hand and lacing his fingers through hers. She grinned against his neck, nuzzling the exposed skin there and kissing it lightly. Alen shuddered a bit and gripped her hand tighter.

Iola chuckled lightly. "You _still_ haven't gotten used to that."

Alen leaned back against her slightly. "I'm not sure I ever want to."

She gave him a confused look.

He smirked and turned in her grip as they reached the kitchen, looping his arms around her waist and looking up into her eyes. "I'd like nothing more than to feel like I'm touching you for the first time, every time."

Iola stared at him, eyes sparkling as she grinned and leaned down to plant her lips on his.

"Ugh," Clyde groaned, "get a room."

Alen blushed a little, but turned toward the older man and gave him a snarky look. "Why don't you get a girlfriend, and then _you_ see how it feels to be told that?"

Iola laughed as Clyde just shrugged. "Nah, I'm good thanks."

Alen arched an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? Are you sick or something?"

He shrugged as he busied himself with a container of sliced roba. "Nope. After last time, the thought just doesn't appeal to me at the moment."

Iola leaned her side against the counter, Alen holding her from behind. "Why's that?"

He smirked. "Too busy. We're running around the galaxy, tracking down criminals and conspiracies—would _you_ really want to bring someone into all that?"

Alen frowned, but shrugged. "Fair point."

"You two were lucky enough to have found each other long before all this craziness started."

Iola smirked. "Oh, luck had nothing to do with it." She looked back and down at Alen. "_This _one had it all planned out, right down to the 'romantic getaway.'"

Alen grinned over her shoulder. "Couldn't very well let my little brother outpace me with the ladies, now could I?"

Clyde shot him an arched eyebrow. "Yeah, Xel doesn't really seem like the flirty type. You, on the other hand…you're this weird mix of serene respect and womanizer."

Alen rolled his eyes and released Iola to hold a hand up in defense. "I am _not_ a womanizer, Clyde." He shrugged a little, a wry smirk playing at his lips. "I just…appreciate women." He grinned. "Very much."

Iola arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms at him. "Uh huh."

"What?" he asked innocently. "It's art appreciation, not womanizing." Alen was the first to break eye contact as his face flamed up at Iola's intense gaze.

"You're lucky I'm not the jealous type," she said, kissing the side of his forehead with a loud smack, then moving off toward the nearest 'fresher.

Alen watched her go, eyes glued to her well-proportioned form the whole time.

"How did a daft bugger like you get a woman like that wrapped around your finger?"

Alen grinned and sat at the kitchen counter, head leaning back against his laced fingers. "Very passionately."

…

2 years ago

Gray Academy, Athiss

1 year, 8 months ABY

"Did the sun come up a little brighter today, or is that just you?"

Alen grinned toothily at his brother's teasing, completely shrugging it off in favor of getting close and whispering to him. "I'm gonna do it."

Xel arched a black eyebrow. "Do _what_?"

"I'm gonna ask her out." He frowned a little. "Well…sort of."

Xel crossed his arms. "Sort of?"

Alen started pacing. "It's—I'm…look, I have it all planned out in my head, but you staring at me like that is making me nervous."

The younger brother chuckled lightly and shook his head. "If I'm making you nervous now, imagine when you're actually doing it."

"Well," Alen replied, "I'm not actually going to 'ask her out,' it's more like, asking her to go on a trip with me."

Xel's eyebrows hiked upward. "Already?"

Alen snorted. "Oh come on, it's not like we haven't gone off alone together before. Just not…with the express purpose of…you know."

"Actually, I don't." Xel smirked teasingly. "Please explain it to me."

Alen gave him a deadpan look. "Bite me, Xel. Bite me."

He straightened up and puffed his chest out in imitation of his brother. "In any case, as your younger yet more attractive and experienced brother, I feel the need to remind you of the dangers should you decide to pursue a more…physical relationship."

"Xel—"

"And I reserve the right to call you on and give back any and all _osik_ thrown at me during the development of _my _relationship."

Alen stared at him for a second. "Okay, that's fair."

Xel laughed and smacked his brother on the back. "Relax, _vod_. You'll do fine. And I have absolutely no doubts about Iola's reciprocation. Just be your usual cheery, giving self, and you'll do fine."

Alen smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

"Anytime, _Al'ika_." He grinned as they started to walk off. "I can see it now: double date on Nar Shaddaa—oh the mayhem we'll create."

The Jedi cringed and tilted his head a bit. "Yeah, I think we should wait on that. Can't imagine the trouble our ladies would get into if they were ever on the same page."

Xel's face fell and went pale. "Or that they'd get _us_ into."

The brothers exchanged a long, terrified look before facing forward again and loudly clearing their throats.

"And on that note."

"Yep, I think I have a training session with Clyde that I'm late for."

"Just—one thing."

Xel stopped short.

Alen scratched his head in thought. "Aren't they _already_ on the same page? I mean…Iola _did_ work for her for a while…"

Xel's only response to that was a wide-eyed stare and further paling of his features. And with another clearing of his throat, he hurried off to find Clyde. Alen just grinned and chuckled at his rapid exit, taking a deep breath before going off to search for someone else.

…

All told, Iola wasn't difficult to find.

After returning from the hunt for the _Ghost_, she'd somewhat settled in as the Academy's resident chef extraordinaire. For the last fourteen months, there had been absolutely no complaints from the usual commissary staff, who up to that point had been forced to resort to some rather standard and uninteresting (but by no means unpalatable) dishes in order to remain self-sufficient food-wise. What Iola had been able to do with the native plant and animal life was nothing short of miraculous, and she claimed that it was a result of how closely her species was tied to the flora and fauna of their world. Jeruni were extraordinarily gifted in reading the properties and behavior of native life, Iola claiming that by seeing the more defined behavior of non-sentient organisms on their world, they were better able to read the same patterns in similar species that were less…expressive.

At any rate, her place within the kitchen with an apron around her waist was becoming just as recognizable attire as the ballistic-armored flight suit Xel had gotten her for her fourteenth birthday. He'd wanted to buy (or forge) something a bit more solid, but Alen had convinced him that the added weight of even something like plastoid would be more of a hindrance than help to someone as lithe and agile as Iola. Xel had initially protested, claiming that her added height and overall Amazonian size somewhat necessitated the need for a bit of added protection. Eventually, they'd come to a compromise, with a suit comprised of hardened ballistic fibers and overlocking plates of plastoid armor over her critical organs.

When she'd received the gift, Iola had laughed heartily and all but crushed the brothers to her in a fierce hug, one of Alen's more embarrassing moments, considering where his face had nearly landed. At her request, Xel had also designed an embossed symbol to be placed right over her heart as added protection. Since her people's society was somewhat decentralized, they had no official crest or insignia. Thus, it fell to her to decide what that symbol would be, and she eventually settled on, well, her captain's. Thus, a forest green representation of the Jedi Order's crest sat across the right of her chest whenever she wore the suit, as the ultimate sign of solidarity when she was in the field.

It had made Alen a bit embarrassed, at first, especially given Xel's compunction for teasing with regard to the pair of them, but as he'd spoken with his ancestor's holocron more and more, he'd seen precedent for such an association. Throughout the history of the Jedi Order, especially in the Old Republic, there were certain non-Force users that were not only closely allied with, but worked directly under the Jedi. From soldiers and scientists to doctors and scholars, any who had a thirst for knowledge and dedication to justice could potentially become "patronized" by the Order to further their overall mission of safety. When the Great War broke out, those relationships became even more important.

But his thoughts digressed, mostly as a coping mechanism for just how nervous he was.

_Come on, Alen…you've done this before. She's a member of your crew, the _only_ member of your crew. It's no big deal, no big deal…_

Taking a deep breath, the Jedi marched his way into the commissary kitchen with some degree of feigned confidence and walked straight up to the girl he considered his best friend.

"Hey, Iola."

She shot him a glance before smiling and returning her attention to cutting up a root of some sort. "Hey yourself." Sensing a sudden silence, Iola continued. "What's up?"

Alen stared at her for a moment, taking a sharp breath when he saw the way she gently bit down on her lower lip. "Um…I was wondering…if you would take a trip with me?"

_That_ got her attention, and she immediately stopped what she was doing to look at him. "What kind of trip?"

He took a breath._ Here goes._ "Well, it's, uh…it just occurred to me, a little while ago, that you showed me your home…but I haven't done the same."

Iola cocked her head and gave him a small frown. "I thought this _was_ home for you. Or, that you were like Xel. You know, with the _Shereshoy_?"

Alen's lips pursed. "I guess it _is_ that way, nowadays, at least. But it wasn't always."

She wiped her hands on her apron before tossing it onto a nearby hanging rod. "So, what, we're taking a trip across the galaxy? Visiting your old places?"

"Just one, really. Until I met Xel, it was the only home I ever knew."

"Wow…so you actually do have a childhood home?"

He nodded once. "And, much as it pains me to say it, I haven't seen it since my mother was taken."

She frowned a little. "How do you know it's even still standing, then?"

He shrugged. "I don't. But, with all the bonding and reminders of family we've been having lately, I _have_ to find out."

Iola nodded slowly. "I understand." She smiled broadly. "I'd _love_ to come with you."

Alen grinned. "Great! I mean, it might not exactly be a walk in the park, given that it's Imperial-controlled, but most worlds are, and the house itself is far away from any of the major settlements."

"Then let's go. How soon do we leave?"

He shrugged. "Soon as you're ready."

Iola let out a small laugh and moved off. "You've been planning this for a while, huh?"

"You could say that," he replied with a sheepish chuckle.

The girl threw him a knowing look, not sticking around long enough to see his color flare up in nerves as she went off to pack a few things. The _Shereshoy_ left the Academy a mere hour later.

…

"Hey! Clyde!"

The older boy froze in his tracks and turned to face an approaching Xel. "What's going on?"

Caden gave him a confused look. "Whaaaat do you mean? We have a practice session in, like, ten minutes."

Clyde took a breath and facepalmed. "Ah…Xel, I'm sorry. Stang. I'd totally forgotten."

Xel's brows furrowed. "That's not like you. Something on your mind?" A mildly teasing grin came over his features. "A hot date perhaps?"

Clyde stared at him for a while, a smile forcing its way onto his lips, and chuckled. "Boyo, have you _seen_ the pickings in this place?"

He shrugged. "I know. I'm just saying—"

The older boy just laughed and nodded slowly. "I know. But no, it's uh…it's a family matter. Something Kae and I have to discuss with Fenrim."

Xel's features shifted. "Oh. Gotcha." He held his hands up in surrender. "I won't get in your way then."

"Thanks," Clyde drawled. "I appreciate it," he tacked on with a smile.

The Mando just waved him off, starting to move toward one of the Academy's many obstacle courses. "Don't worry about it. I'll see ya later, yeah?"

"Yeah," he called back, features turning to a frown as soon as Xel was out of sight.

Clyde hated to lie to him…though technically it wasn't _all_ a lie. He and Kael did have something to discuss with Fenrim, it simply wasn't _just_ them. With a small measure of guilt gnawing away at him, the young Knight shook his head and moved toward Master Uln's hut.

…

Iola leaned back in her seat, rotating from side to side absently as she stared out into the blue tunnel of hyperspace. "You remember the first time I rode aboard this ship?"

Alen glanced over at her and smiled. "Of course. It was right after we met, right before…" His expression darkened slightly before he forced the smile back on. "Before you met Maila."

Iola didn't miss his brief shift in mood, but chose to ignore it, smirking instead. "I don't remember you being this nervous back then."

Alen stiffened for a moment before finding a thread to grasp and pulling it with a smile. "Don't tell me you weren't the slightest bit nervous about showing me Jeros."

She snorted rather ungracefully. "Please, I was more worried about showing you to _Jeros_. My people may be very civically-minded, but there's a reason we don't let mass amounts of foreigners on-planet without escort."

He frowned. "You're afraid that your world will be exploited."

The girl nodded gravely. "Whether in study of its gravitational anomalies or exportation of the exotic native plants…there are more than a few ways that Jeros could be threatened by enterprising industrialists. I suppose it's just as well that we're out in the middle of nowhere, with no obvious and valuable mineral or gas deposits. I fear for my world if any such sharks were to discover it and get any ideas, _especially_ under the Empire."

Alen gently placed a hand on her shoulder, sending her a comforting smile. "I'll never let that happen."

Iola stared at him for a moment before laughing softly. "Alen, you're one man. We're two and a ship, all counted together. And not a very well-armed ship, at that."

Alen rolled his eyes at the not-so-subtle jab at his technically-inferior vessel. "Regardless. If that does happen, and we do nothing…even if it wouldn't have helped in the first place, it's inadmissible."

"I'm not disputing that. I just think you're being unrealistic about assuming you have a choice in the matter."

The Jedi stared at her sky blue eyes, sensing the uncharacteristic trepidation rolling off her and feeling a rather fierce surge of protectiveness wash over him, his own jaw setting firmly. "And I think you're underestimating just how much impact a single person can make."

Iola stared at him for a while, dumbstruck until he turned back to the dashboard to check over the ship's critical systems.

He sighed gently. "Anyway, I'm gonna try to catch some shut-eye before we arrive. I…think it would be best to have my full strength for this." He frowned, slowly getting up. "This is bound to be more than rough enough without exhaustion to add to the mix."

She gave him a sympathetic look, gently gripping his hand for a moment before releasing him to his cabin. Deciding she should do the same, she stared off into hyperspace a while longer before following suit.

…

"You're sure their activities are limited to the valley?"

Clyde frowned deeply at the question, staring at his mentor with a mixture of frustration and exasperation. "Of _course_ not, sir. We can't really be sure of _anything_ since _you_ banned us from exploring the forest more than a quarter mile from the perimeter."

"For good reason," insisted Master Uln. "The less we interact with them, the less chance they decide to see us as a threat."

Pelem shot Fenrim a dark look. "That didn't help Ytris."

"Because we weren't aware of their aggressive defensive inclinations."

"I have to agree with Pel," said Kael. "Defensiveness aside, their inclinations should be more than enough to make us find out more. There's nothing worse than facing an enemy you don't know."

Clyde arched a brow. "Learning from Caden, are we?"

Kael snorted and crossed her arms. "He's a lot smarter than he lets on."

"But also originating from a warrior culture," Fenrim interrupted, "and given his temperament, _very_ quick to fight."

"Not anymore," Kael protested. "I remember when he first came here, Master, and…he is _not_ the same person." Seeing Fenrim's reticent expression, she turned to her brother. "Tell him, Cly."

The older boy frowned and sighed. "He has become a great deal more deliberate, especially since beginning his training with me," he plugged (quite shamelessly, as Kael mentally noted). "I don't disagree that we shouldn't automatically resort to armed conflict, but there _is_ conflict already, Master. Their assault on Ytris' excavation team is more than proof of that. Knowing more about a potential threat—or just our neighbors—is far from inadvisable. It's simple prudence, sir."

Fenrim looked to each of his students, all Knights in their own right (save for Kael, who was a special exception), and finally relented. "Fine. Perform some reconnaissance, if it would set your mind at ease, but avoid any direct confrontations with them. The last thing we need is to spark their ire and start a war between our settlements."

"I'm not stupid, sir. I know that. Even if it came to outright violence, we don't have nearly enough Knights to win."

"We don't know that," one of the other Knights stated from Clyde's far left. "We don't know _anything_."

"So rectify that," Fenrim reiterated. "Take Pelem and anyone else you need with you, but try to keep your party at a minimum."

Clyde nodded. "Understood." He gave a nod to the Gray Jedi who'd spoken up just now, a Nikto named Miol, motioning him and Pelem over. "We'll start with the west, then work our way east, that way we don't have to fight the terrain. Any objections?"

They shook their heads, about to follow him from Fenrim's hut when a new voice spoke up.

"Hey!"

Clyde turned to his approaching sister.

"You're taking me with you, right?"

Her older brother frowned. "'Fraid not, sis."

Kael's expression darkened.

"Look," he said calmingly, "I know you'd be a great asset to us out there, especially if anyone gets injured. But we're not planning on picking any fights, all right?" He frowned. "Besides…" he glanced out the entrance flap to ensure no one was eavesdropping, "I might need you to distract Xel."

She arched an eyebrow, confused. "Excuse me?"

He sighed. "I ran into him on the way here. Told him I was discussing a family matter with you and Fenrim."

Kael blinked. "He doesn't know?"

"He's not a Knight, Kae. Of _course_ he doesn't know."

"But…he's not like the other students."

"I know."

"He's not some scared, unstable kid or—"

"Kae," Clyde interrupted sharply. "I know." He sighed. "I don't like this either, but rules are rules, and whether or not we think he's ready for something like this isn't up to us, not when it affects the whole Academy."

She bit her lower lip. "If he finds out, he's gonna be pissed."

"And probably throw a few choice Mandalorian words my way, yes."

"If you're lucky, that's _all_ he'll throw. Even if Ytris isn't exactly his closest friend, finding out that what happened to him wasn't an accident—and that we didn't tell him—is going to set his blood boiling. And _that_ will be several shades of bad. Because then he really _will_ go looking for a fight."

"And at that point it'll be a cred toss of who it's with." Clyde sighed hard, rubbing the back of his head. "If all goes well, we'll figure out a way to stay out of their way and he'll never have to know."

"Clyde…since when has relying on that logic ever panned out?"

Another sigh. "A man can hope, Kae. A man can hope."

…

Obroa-skai

Opening the front door of what had once been home was…well, it wasn't exactly comfortable. The presence of the girl at his back helped, though, especially as he stepped inside to inhale the stale scent of dead plants, a small amount of overgrowth creeping in through a few windows due to neglect. The dust the pair disturbed upon entry was thick and almost choking, Alen using a gentle Force Push to clear some of it out of their immediate vicinity before moving toward the kitchen, where he knew a high-volume vacuum lay. An eerie feeling stole over him as he found the machine exactly where he'd left it, finger pressing the activation key and feeling its vibrational response choke a little on startup before it ran smoothly.

Iola too got to work, Alen quietly instructing her to find other cleaning materials, just to get the place semi-presentable. He didn't know why he did that. After all, this was supposed to be a relaxing trip for them both, but especially for her. After a while, though, he realized how much seeing her house now, once been truly beautiful and full of life, would have hurt Telia, had she been there. A mere thirty minutes later, it was looking less like a hovel and more like a work-in-progress. It still wasn't good enough for Alen's liking, but hey, he'd take what he could get.

The Jedi knelt over the fireplace, chucking a bit of dead wood and dry vegetation into the pit and lighting it up with the kitchen igniter. The gentle flame brought some much-needed light and warmth to the otherwise dreary home, at least until Alen worked the generator circuitry and managed to restart the house's power grid. A few appliances started up thanks to the sudden burst of electricity, a holoprojector in the living room chief among them. Iola and Alen both stared at the holofilm that played, one with a curious expression, the other with bittersweet reminiscence. An older yet elegant woman laughed and grinned at a young boy, about five years old, as he toddled and ran around her in impossibly excited circles, a model ARC-170 held in his hand as he mimed explosions and put the toy through its paces.

Alen kept staring, an unbelievable melancholy sinking into his bones even as he felt a smile twitch at his lips. To his left, Iola was grinning widely and approaching him with rapid steps.

"Aww…baby you was so _cute_!"

Alen felt he should've been embarrassed by the declaration, but instead he just chuckled at Iola's innocent comment. "It was a simpler time then. Easier to just…be a kid, you know?" He wiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "And I guess Xel could say the same, least for the way Mando kids are raised. I guess that's how it's _supposed_ to be. No matter how you're raised, no matter how fast you mature, there are always things you're simply incapable of understanding until you're older. But when you are…" His shoulders sank as a heavy sigh came from his lips, heart throbbing painfully. "Iola," he said in a whisper.

She gripped his shoulder gently but firmly, her other arm going around his neck and softly pulling him against her back-first.

Alen reached up and placed his hand over hers, fingers tightening around the appendage as his vision clouded over. "I miss her," he whispered.

"I know," she whispered back. Iola let the silence hang in the air for a while before speaking again. "Did you ever really…grieve for her?"

"I did," he insisted quietly. "The Jedi way."

Iola arched an eyebrow against the side of his head. "Which means?"

He took a deep breath. "Solemn respect and regard for the dead. Acceptance that their physical life is ended but their spirit moved on, returned to the Force."

"…that sounds more like a ritual than grieving."

"That _is_ how we grieve."

"Maybe for a fellow Jedi, a brother or sister-in-arms, but…she was your mother."

Alen's breath hitched for a moment. "I…I was never taught any other way." He turned in her grip, gently putting his arms around her as she held him back, his chin laid on her shoulder. "I think, that is, I mean…I'm not sure she knew another way. Long as she spent with Dad…I don't think he ever rubbed off on her that much. To Jedi, the dead are rarely spoken of with grief, but gladness, that their life energy has returned to the source, and will soon be given to support another form of life. But…it'll never be her again. She'll never be here again." He held her tighter, voice cracking. "I'll never get to see her smile, hear her laugh." Alen began shaking. "Mom…" He shook harder, hands trembling against Iola's back.

The Jerun just held him closer, slowly lowering them to the floor when his knees began to give out. She tightened her grip on him when she felt him try to stop the sobs. "Don't, Alen. Let it come." Her eyes closed for a moment, briefly flashing with memories that were without doubt unintentionally being broadcast by the weeping boy in her arms. "Don't block it out. You need this. I promise you, she'd understand that."

And with that, over the next five straight minutes, for the first time in his life, Alen Li-am wailed to the roof and empty walls of what had once been his home.

…

Gray Academy, Athiss

Xel's head turned sharply to one side, the movement interrupting him mid-sentence as Kael stared at him with a confused look. His features twisted undiscernibly for a moment, then shifted again as he took and released a deep, shuddering breath. His eyes closed.

_I'm here, _vod_. You're not alone._

He received no response, but based on the intensity of emotions he was feeling, and over such a great distance, his brother had other things on his mind. Still, Xel sent as much love and support as was possible, then abruptly closed the bond, knowing that Alen had someone there with him who would do more than enough.

Xel cleared his throat. "Sorry, what was I saying?"

Kae gave him a concerned look. "Um…you were talking about that one time you crashed your bike."

"Oh," he replied softly, suddenly utterly disinterested with the conversation.

Kael noticed. "Hey, if…there's something else on your mind we can talk later, okay?"

He looked back to her. "No—no, I mean…sorry. I'm just a little distracted."

"Something with your brother?"

He arched a black eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

Her head shook. "Not to most people. But I've been through the same thing, remember?" She gently tapped her temple. "Those Force bonds can be a real pain. Especially with how much trouble my bro used to get into."

Xel snorted. "You mean he doesn't _still_?"

Kael chuckled, the action cut off abruptly when she realized exactly where Clyde was. "Point taken."

…

"Watch each other's backs. Last thing we need is to be ambushed."

"We're not rookies, Clyde," Pelem pointed out gently. "Just take a breath."

Clyde arched an eyebrow at the senior Knight. "Shouldn't I be the one telling you that? I mean, after what these _schuttas_ did to Ytris…"

"Exactly. What does it say when you don't have to?"

Clyde rolled his eyes but took the hint, sufficiently reprimanded. If his friendship and initial rivalry with Xel had been any indication, he was not nearly as infallible as he'd previously assumed, star student or no. His temper, and the way it tended to relieve him of all rational thought, was something Fenrim had warned him about time and again, and in the year-plus after his ill-conceived duel with the Mando, Clyde had diligently attempted to curb said weakness. But, as with any bad habit worth breaking, some days were…clearly better than others. Steering his mind back toward the present, Clyde scanned the foliage and bark that comprised the majority of his surroundings, the terrain occasionally disrupted by sparse falls of rock or dirt. Whether those falls were caused by natural causes or sentient intent was up for discussion.

Briefly, Clyde mourned that they couldn't bring Alen or Xel into the fold. Their natural intuition, not to mention Alen's uncanny Sight ability, would be quite the boon in this situation. Alas, he believed what he'd told Kael earlier, and had no choice but to adhere to it. His mind wandered briefly to the memories his sister had evoked earlier, about him and Xel and how their friendship had progressed. Their mixture of cooperation and rivalry was…unorthodox, to say the least, but a great deal friendlier than they'd been upon first meeting. Stars above, the difference was like night and day. Yeah, they still gave each other bruises and burns from time to time, but always with the intent of learning, not bodily harm.

_Well_, Clyde thought with a smirk, _almost always_.

They both knew their rough edges wouldn't vanish overnight, even if they'd established rapport on the basis of examination. Especially so, in fact, since at least for the first couple of months, Clyde insisted on observing Xel's actions and motivations and going over them with a fine-toothed comb. Doing so, even in an amicable way, drew some sidelong (and mildly threatening) stares from Kael, but after the incident with the _Ghost_…well, suffice to say that he could _feel_ the changes in Xel, and not just because of the injuries he'd sustained during the rescue. It was as if the weight of a thousand suns had gone supernova and propelled him into a ferocious spurt of growth and learning.

His sheer devotion and diligence had nearly bowled Clyde over, and in no time at all, Xel had started picking up even more advanced Djem So techniques, to the point where the younger man's movements in battle had almost completely shifted. Compared to his earlier Shien technique, his style was almost completely unrecognizable, as if it were a blend between both tiers of Form V. In retrospect, it seemed as if that were _exactly_ what it was. Again, Clyde forced himself to focus on the situation at hand, barely catching a flash of movement in his peripheral vision and snapping toward it instantly. All senses on alert, he searched the foliage for another second or two before facing the other two Knights.

"Did you two see—"

"Get down!" Miol shouted as he shoved Clyde to one side by the head, prompting the teen to yelp indignantly as the Nikto and Pelem drew sabers, one orange, one green.

Miol's blade was thicker and longer than most, almost like the structure of an ancient greatsword, and swept in wide, deliberate arcs as he deflected four incoming plasma bolts in the first swing. Pelem also took part of the load as Clyde regained his bearings, taking the enemy's single lane of fire and his currently obstructed location to move down a hill and circle round their flank. That plan went down the drain quickly when a third gunman opened fire on him from behind a copse of trees. He pulled his saber just as quickly, but didn't activate it, since the first cluster of shots went wide. Instead, he weaved in and out of the trees with smooth execution, using some of them as springboards for acrobatic maneuvers that made him even harder to hit.

A moment before he fully closed the distance, Clyde leapt toward his assailant, saber held underhandedly and activating as he fell, its tip angled directly toward the gunman's shoulder. Ten feet off the ground, he froze midair, feeling an invisible hand close around his chest as his motion was completely arrested. That same motion was reversed a split-second later as he was propelled back down the hill and into the forest. He twist-flipped with the motion, saber held high as he spotted the source of the disturbance, a female figure with a light gray hood obscuring her hair and a charcoal black cloth covering her nose and mouth area. The rest of her ensemble shared the same overall color scheme, but that was hardly what he noticed as he brought his silver-edged lightsaber down toward her torso.

Fast as he could blink, she had dashed to the side and drawn something from her cloak, a segmented metal object whose body unfolded rapidly with her motions, and a moment later, a second _snap-hiss_ split the disturbed forest air as a gold blade burst into existence. His own sword near the ground, Clyde slowly rose from a crouch, body turning to face his assailant but saber remaining in its position, pointed out sideways and down relative to his stance. His cold silver eyes locked on the woman pacing around him, gaze flickering to the blade of her lightsaber pike as they circled each other. Not a word passed between them, but Clyde noticed that her stance and movements were much more relaxed and fluid than his own.

The reasoning behind this was immediately forthcoming when a gently sweeping motion of her pike from side-to-side turned into a surprise attack from below, the woman slashing the blade upward and nearly splitting Clyde from groin to sternum before he snapped his body away. He attempted to lunge back forward, but found himself blocked when her upward swipe lent itself to continued motion, the pike's body used as a pendulum to relay multiple spinning horizontal swipes at Clyde's shoulders. Sensing more force behind each strike than he could hold up to for long, the Knight backpedaled just out of range of each one, ducking when she enlarged the reach of the pike by sliding her grip to the bottom of its handle mid-spin. Clyde rushed forward immediately after the blade passed his head, attempting to run her through in one strike but finding his brain aching when she drove a knee into his forehead, stunning him.

Lunging to his left, Clyde cartwheeled away as she spun once more, attempting a rising diagonal strike on his legs. The Knight avoided the strike with his acrobatic maneuver, the tip of the blade just missing his anchoring wrist as it swept past. The moment his feet were on the ground, Clyde dashed back in, closing the distance to reduce her reach advantage and throwing several rapid strikes her way. Head, hip, shoulder—each were attacked in rapid succession, the woman managing to deflect his blows with relative ease once she got her weapon back in a defensive position. She countered his last attack with a blunt shaft strike to his gut, a blow that impact his left palm hard enough to sting, but not enough to slow him down. As point of fact, he used that point of contact to pull her toward him and attempt to grapple her to the ground.

The leaves beneath her feet crunched as her body left the ground, Clyde's grip on her hilt used to cartwheel over his head and fall into a trip-kick. Clyde's side hit the deck painfully, leaving him exposed to a downward stab that he managed to twist away from. His left hand once again wrapped around the pike's shaft, pushing it further into the ground as he swung around the hilt to slash at her head. Evidently, she'd been expecting the move, since she bent over backwards with smooth efficiency, falling into a deep crouch and resorting to a ground-fighting stance as she countered with a solid kick to his chest. The impact sent him rolling backward and allowed her to free her blade, coming in with short, fast swipes at multiple angles.

Clyde twirled his blade in spirals between him and her, batting her strikes aside and building speed and power for a spinning attack at her midsection, the sheer power of the move batting her saber aside. Sensing her sudden anxiety (and a weakness), Clyde kept raining down powerful strikes powered by his spins and body weight, beating her back step by step until she accidentally backed up against a tree. A smirk forced its way to his lips as he felt a surge of desperation come from his opponent, and responded with calm deflects as she lashed out with equally desperate strikes.

It was a matter of mere child's play to open her up for a burst of Electric Judgment then, the golden arcs playing over her body and forcing a screech from her throat as her muscles spasmed uncontrollably. It wasn't five seconds later that he had disarmed her and held his blade angled at her throat, a small telekinetic manipulation pulling the bottom half of her mask away to reveal severe but beautiful features underneath. Her fiery eyes and furious scowl held his attention most.

"Who are you?" Clyde asked, voice even and smooth. When no answer was forthcoming, he continued. "Why did you assault us? We were merely proceeding through the forest, of no threat to you."

Finally, her lips moved. "No?" she hissed threateningly. "If you were not expecting a fight, then why travel in packs of three armed with such weapons?"

The teen couldn't restrain a wry smirk. "Have you not met the local wildlife, love?"

She snorted a bitter laugh. "Humor. It will do you little good."

Clyde shrugged. "Wouldn't know about that. My sister tells me it's one of my more redeeming features."

Her scowl deepened. "Shame on you for bringing your family into his fold."

He froze up for a moment. "Excuse me? Who? Into _whose_ fold?"

Her teeth bared and gritted together. "The false prophet must be eliminated."

Clyde's eyes narrowed at her, saber deactivating as he crouched close to her. "What false prophet? What are you talking about?"

"He cannot stop what my master has set in motion," she spouted with a haughty air. "The Revanchists will rise again, servant of Uln."

A cold sweat gathered at the back of his neck at the power behind her words, even if he had no idea what they meant. After a moment or two, Clyde's mouth set into a grim line, and he glanced back into the forest to see Pelem and Miol sorting out the enemy survivors above him. He turned back to frown at the disarmed woman, her eyes burning with defiance. A pair of zip-cuffs went over her hands as he roughly hauled her to her feet.

"Not today they won't."

…

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

Even after he'd stopped bawling, Alen had steadfastly refused to say a word. Not as they slowly pulled apart, Iola giving him a reassuring smile, or as he wandered the house with her in tow, finding small trinkets and other items he'd designated unimportant on his flight from the planet. He didn't speak one word for close to twenty minutes, not until they were in the kitchen, Alen pulling something from a mobile cooler they'd brought in with them. Even then, he only asked her what she'd like on a dish he was preparing, something rather unfamiliar to his companion. The nerf meat he was using was common enough, but the combination of cooking implements and spices with the meat…

Anyhow, she busied herself with tidying up further, getting some natural light in the house to give it less of a dead feeling by clearing out some of the overgrown windows. By the time the scent of food reached a fever pitch, Iola had worked up quite the appetite, something her body was quick and rather emphatic to state with a noise that made Alen laugh for the first time in hours. He didn't stop smiling until they were both served and seated at a dining table that hadn't seen use in almost three years. And then he started poking at Iola's food rather sneakily, trying to steal what he could, much to her protest.

Iola was especially irritated since she hadn't eaten since they left Athiss, but Alen seemed insistent on having some fun at her expense, and given his mood not long after their arrival, she was loathe to begrudge him that. All the same, his better Jedi temperament eventually returned, a calmness and contentedness about him that wasn't there before.

"What _is_ this?" Iola asked about ten minutes into dinner.

Alen grinned. "Something my mom used to make. Nerf steaks with local roots and herbs. Said it was a mark of genius for a chef to be able to adapt their cuisine to any locale." He gently prodded Iola's arm with his fork. "She would've _loved_ you."

Iola smiled cautiously. "Did you learn anything else from her?"

His smile dampened a bit, turning sad. "Too much to be said in a short conversation."

She frowned a little. "I meant the food."

"I know," he answered quietly. Alen took a deep, calming breath, then smiled at her softly. "Iola…I wanted to share this with you—" Something caught in his throat, and he took a few moments to cough it loose. "I wanted to share this with you," he continued, voice scratchy, "because in a lot of ways, you remind me of home. And I don't just mean this place." He waved at their surroundings. "Because you're right. For the last three years, I've lived among the stars, moving from place to place with nowhere to really call my own except that ship. My _mother's_ ship. And I've had to learn that home is the memories and love you carry with you. Same as family.

"It can't be confined to a place or a building. You can't measure it or stick a nametag on it. It's not something you find. It's something…something you make." He reached out and gently gripped her hand, suddenly short of breath. "Iola—you have no idea how much of a constant you've been in my life, how much of a rock. Even when my own brother…I was never alone, because of you." His mouth went dry. "I guess…I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Alen froze up at the strange, pensive look in her sky blue eyes.

_Why is she staring at me like that?_

"Um…"

"Yes?" she asked, lips twitching with restrained amusement.

"I…" Alen mentally rolled his eyes at his own indecision.

_Oh, the hell with it._

The sixteen-year-old leaned forward rather abruptly, apparently forgetting that there was a table between them, since his gut slammed into the hardwood rather painfully, sending him into a coughing fit that finally got Iola's laughter to burst. He tried to shush her, but between his coughing spell and mounting embarrassment, he couldn't find the words. Instead, he was forced to sit in shame as Iola gently rubbed his back, grinning toothily the whole time until his lung spasms finally calmed down. And then, he just stared blankly into the distance until she returned to her seat, belatedly realizing that Iola was waiting for him to find his words.

Taking a deep breath, Alen cleared his throat rather hard. "Well…_that_ was awkward."

"Mhm," she hummed, still trying to hold back laughter for his sake, apparently determined not to ruin his plan and unaware that he'd done that all by himself.

"Look…Iola…"

"Alen—you can stop with the poetry, 'kay?" She allowed herself a warm smile, gently holding his hand. "Just ask what you want to ask."

He sighed and took a deep breath, closing, then opening his eyes with a sober smile. "Iola…will you go out with me…_exclusively_?"

A moment's pause passed before she again burst into raucous laughter, making Alen feel rather disoriented and let down until she managed to calm herself enough to speak. "I—I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Al. I just…" She vainly smothered a smile and looked over at him, eyes dancing with laughter. "Did you _really_ have to add the last part?"

Alen blinked, then cocked his head in confusion. "Eh?"

Iola mimed finger quotes. "'Exclusively'? Are you serious?" She tossed her head back and laughed again. "I mean, did you think I would really date you _non_-exclusively?"

"Well…I…um—"

"_Yes_, you gorgeous dolt," she interrupted smoothly, taking his moment of confusion to get up and sit across his lap, arms looping around his neck. Her lips spread wide apart in a beatific smile. "Yes."

Alen stared up at her for a while, his previous feelings about her appearance suddenly multiplied several times as her face hovered barely a foot from his. "Oh," he breathed, "…thank the Force."

Iola chuckled again and poked his nose teasingly. "Would you have fired me if I'd said no?"

He leaned his head back for a moment, completely taken aback by the question, even if it was said jokingly. "_Stars_ no." He frowned a little and shifted in his seat (well, as much as he could with Iola sitting on top of him). "I'd have given you the ship in heartbreak."

Iola's expression immediately sobered. "Wh—but…that ship is…was your mom's."

Alen shook his head, his lips turning upward slightly, the skin around his eyes crinkling in mirth. "I'm not like Xel, Iola. That ship isn't home for me. You are."

The girl's jaw dropped at the declaration, finally understanding exactly what he meant and staring at him completely dumbstruck.

Alen's smile widened a bit at finally rendering her speechless, but stayed as calm as his voice. "I'm…I'm gonna kiss you now…if that's okay."

"Oh stars," she breathed, "…I thought you'd never ask."

Finally, Alen let himself grin ear-to-ear like he'd wanted to since she'd said yes, pressing his lips to hers gently at first, then more insistently—_much _more insistently. It was a full two minutes before they pulled apart even slightly, both of their faces flushed and lungs starved for breath. Iola's pupils were vastly dominant in her eyes, and if that wasn't enough indication of how pleased she was with this development, the look on her face certainly was. Grinning wolfishly, Alen leaned back in and stayed there until it occurred to him that they might want to do one more thing before losing themselves to the moment. Thus, it was with some reluctance that he pulled away, much to her verbal but unintelligible protest.

Alen gently poked her nose in imitation of her and smiled widely, gently patting her thigh with his hand to get her up. "Come on. There's something I want to show you."

With a disappointed yet curious look, Iola reluctantly climbed off his lap and let him stand, taking his offered hand immediately and following him out the back door. What greeted them on the other side was…nothing short of spectacular.

_I'd almost forgotten how beautiful this place is._

And indeed, with the vision before him, all those memories came rushing back at once, of the evenings he'd spent in exactly this spot, doing what he was right now, whether alone, or with Mom or Xel. He looked over to his right, seeing the similarly awed expression of his—of his _girlfriend_, and smiled. Situated on the side of a mountain, as they were, the view of the sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

_You always said that was why you chose this place, Mom._ Alen smiled bittersweet. _If you _can_ see me, somehow…I hope you and Dad are smiling too._

The couple exchanged no more words that night. Nothing more needed to be said.

…

Gray Academy, Athiss

Xel awoke with a start, for what seemed like the umpteenth time since the turn of the year. His calloused hands scrubbed over his face, eyes glancing around his abode to make sure that everything was as he'd left it. His eyelids drifted shut as he let out a long breath, forcing his heart to calm bit by bit. He really, _really_ wished he could control these visions. It was just like the weeks before Hypori, only that time the nightmares had been almost nightly, rather than once or twice every couple of weeks. The other difference, of course, was the difference in _feel_ of the dreams, in addition to contents.

_Speaking of content…_

The previous dreams had been mostly ethereal, vague. Altogether, he'd never been able to remember any details upon waking, if there were any to begin with. This time, though…this time, he'd seen pictures, objects, _people_.

_Blades of light, armor of metal and plastoid…and that mask…_ Dark blue eyes flew open, then slid shut again as he forced himself to envision the last image once more, opening once more as realization struck true. _I've seen it before—in the temple, right before I met Fenrim. It was in that relief. _He_ was in that relief._ He stared out a window and off into the distance, frowning. _But that's impossible…he's _dead_._

Realizing he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep with his mind running as it was, Xel got up and threw on some clothes, his synthleather jacket going around his shoulders as a barrier to the cool, foggy night air. Once again, he made his way into the forest, dodging the perimeter patrols with some difficulty.

_Weird_, he thought. _I thought I had these patrol times down to a science._

Regardless, it wasn't long before he was beyond the bounds of the Academy's perimeter and deep into the forest, each step helping to calm his rushing thoughts. A small chuckle erupted from his throat when he realized he'd stumbled upon the clearing where he'd fought with Clyde just over a year ago. The laugh died in his throat when he felt an itch in the back of his head, a nudge ever so slight, and he whirled around, gazing intently into an impossibly thick mist. Mere moments passed before he realized it was getting thicker, swirling around him in a dense cloud. His head cocked and eyes narrowed as warning bells started ringing off in his head. His right hand fell to the right side of his waist, to the saber hanging off his belt, and his fingers closed around a long _beskar _cylinder.

Another nudge in the back of his head, from his sixth sense, and he spun back around, cylinder grasped in both hands, its single opening angled away from him threateningly. His lip curled up in a slight snarl as the nudge turned into a push, and the fog's reflective particles lit up in red as a deadly crimson snap-hiss heralded the presence of an enemy. Xel's lips curved upward in a malevolent smirk as his right thumb pressed in and upward, moving a switch on the cylinder. A sharp ring preceded the sapphire blade that came from it, pointing diagonally upward toward his opponent as they circled each other, their sabers the only visible evidence of each other. He stretched out with the Force, brushing against his unknown opponent, and furrowed his brows at the strange sensation he got in return.

"You're no Inquisitor," he stated in a quiet but firm voice.

The other, still-invisible figure remained silent.

"So who are you, and why are you here? What have I done to deserve your ire?"

Only silence answered him. Well, silence and a sudden thickening of fog around him as the saber lunged forward through the mist. Xel sidestepped and swung just below the blade in a preemptive strike, only for the red light to vanish abruptly, leaving the Mando confused. Two seconds passed before he felt another warning from the Force and spun around to meet the reappeared saber with two deflects and a diagonal counter-strike. It again met empty air, and the glowing blade vanished once more. With growing aggravation, Xel avoided and countered three more such surprise attacks before getting fed up with it all and channeling his power inward. A moment later, he released a burst of Force energy outward, Repulsing the fog instantaneously and revealing the saber to be devoid of a holder as it fell to the ground, inactive. Confusion gripped him for a few moments before the hilt suddenly began trembling, making him tense up in readiness.

His caution was unmerited, however, as the lightsaber simply flew off into the forest, to the edge of a wall of trees some distance below the same grassy outcropping he'd noticed before dueling Clyde. The glint of the weapon's metal body allowed him to track it easily, to the point where it slapped against the palm of a shadowy robed figure off in the distance. The hooded form turned to move deeper into the forest once the saber was retrieved.

Fury built in Xel's chest as he raised his voice to shout. "Hey. Hey!"

It stopped abruptly, turning in place to look at him, no features visible save for the shadows beneath the hood. Xel saw no eyes, no form, but with that one stare, he felt his grip around his lightsaber tighten, and indeed his whole body tense with a sudden and powerful chill running up his spine. He didn't know how long he stood there, paralyzed, before the entity turned back around and vanished into the night, but when he'd finally returned to his senses, he immediately made for the Academy's borders, heedless of who saw him coming in. The Academy passed by in a blur as he beelined for Fenrim's hut, stopping in his tracks as soon as he stepped inside and was greeted by the sight of Clyde and a whole lot of other Gray Knights meeting with the master.

They all turned to stare at him, the room silent for a moment before Fenrim spoke up.

"Something's bothering you."

Xel turned his eyes to Uln. "There's something…out in the forest. Something decidedly _not_ friendly."

Clyde arched an eyebrow at him. "And how exactly would you know that?" He crossed his arms. "Another unsanctioned trip beyond the perimeter, I'd assume?"

The Mando rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to his friend. "Well, yes, but you're kind of missing the—" he stopped short, eyes narrowing, "—wait a minute." His hand rose, finger pointing between Clyde and Fenrim. "You—you _knew_."

Clyde visibly tensed.

"You knew something was out there…something dangerous." His eyes fixed a glare on Clyde, teeth gritting. "You knew and you said nothing."

"Calm your ass down," Clyde advised carefully, expression guarded. "We're handling it."

"Really?" asked a skeptical Xel. "You call me getting attacked in the forest with a floating lightsaber 'handling it'?"

"Well if you weren't breaking Academy rules by going beyond the perimeter—in the dead of night, I might add—maybe you wouldn't have run into that in the first place."

"And yet you know exactly how I work, that those 'unsanctioned trips' are my way of cooling down, and you still said nothing. I could've been prepared, at the very least. On my guard. Instead, you left me vulnerable."

"Let's be fair here," Fenrim interrupted gently. "It's Academy rules not to share information about external threats with anyone less than Knight rank, unless that threat becomes an imminent danger to the Academy itself."

Xel sneered at them both. "I've been hearin' a lot about 'rules' in this conversation." He pointed out toward the wall. "The person on the other end of that saber doesn't _care_ about your rules, Fenrim."

"And maybe if you cared a little _more_," Clyde interrupted irritably, "you wouldn't have been in danger to begin with."

The Mando turned to his friend, slowing getting up in his face and staring him down. "When we became friends, Clyde, I made you a promise. That I would never lie to you."

"And I haven't."

"No?" Xel arched with a skeptical eyebrow. "So you consider a lie of omission anything other than a lie?"

"Xel—"

"And what about Ytris, hm?" Xel saw Clyde's face pale. "Were his injuries _really_ caused by a landmine? Or was it something _else_ you neglected to tell me?"

Clyde's lips pursed, the older boy casting a questioning look at Master Uln.

"The cat's out of the bag, son," he said gently.

The Chandrilan noble turned back to Xel and frowned. "Ballistakinesis. A landmine _did_ go off, but it only created the shrapnel. Someone—and we don't know who—used ballistakinesis to hurl the shards at the excavation team. Ytris tried to hold it back while the others ran to safety. He failed."

And with that, Xel gave the room a bitter smile and snort, then strode from the dwelling.

"Xel," Clyde called in a pleading tone.

"Save it," he hissed, waving him off.

…

Obroa-skai

A loud beep roused Alen from a peaceful, dreamless sleep, his body groaning in protest as his tired eyes fluttered open. A moment of panic occurred before he remembered the reason why his right arm was currently asleep, glancing over to see Iola's sleeping form draped across his side. His left hand reached over and gently took several thick strands of her ante-hair, the fleshy tendrils tenderly rubbed between his fingertips as he admired their color.

_Strange. I remember it being brighter a few months ago._

The beep sounded once more, forcing Alen to move the rest of his body, gently sliding his girlfriend's sleeping form off his arm and freeing the rest of him to move. He grabbed his ringing holocom and took it several rooms down, only hitting the receiver once he figured he was out of Iola's hearing. The communicator powered on with a flash of static, the blue-tinged image resolving into his brother's jacketed form.

"Xel, this had _better_ be important."

Despite the initial scowl on Xel's face, the Mando's lips quirked upward with mirth at Alen's declaration. "So…I take that to mean it went well?"

Against his will, Alen's face began to glass over. "Exceedingly," he breathed in a dreamy sigh.

Caden laughed heartily, though there was a clipped edge to it. "See? What'd I tell you?"

"Yeah, yeah. So…important?"

His smile faded instantly. "It's the Academy, _vod_. For the past couple of months, Clyde and the other Knights have been secretly investigating the presence of another faction on Athiss. A faction of Force-users."

Alen's eyes went wide. "And why were we not informed?"

Xel gave out a loud snort. "Because apparently, it's 'against Academy rules' to give anyone less than a Knight information that might save their lives." He took a moment to calm himself. "I really hate to interrupt you guys. Sounds like you're having fun."

"Sleeping, actually, but yeah. We did."

He sighed. "Well…take your time. This has been going on for a couple months already, so I doubt everything's gonna go down the crapper immediately, but…when you can—"

"I understand," Alen interrupted softly. "We'll be there tomorrow."

Xel nodded. "Got it. Thanks."

Alen just pursed his lips and turned the holocommunicator off, standing in the darkness for a while and taking a deep breath. "It's always something," he said to the empty air. He glanced down at the communicator, frowning a little as the giddy feeling he'd felt since his first kiss rapidly leached away. His head shook slowly as he turned back to his room and sighed again, settling back in next to Iola without a sound, but finding himself fitfully awake. A pronounced eye-roll preceded his last coherent thought of the evening.

_Thanks a _lot_, Xel._

* * *

AN: Another super long chapter lol. That trend's probably gonna continue for a while yet. If the idea of another Force-using faction on Athiss seems outlandish, just wait. There's a very good reason for their existence, one that'll be explained in later chapters for sure. This was primarily an expository chapter, one that is really getting the Athiss storyline rolling. For those of you who recognized the reference in the interrogation scene, just wait. You're gonna love what comes later.

Next up will be…probably a two-chapter arc getting back to the "underworld" setting of Xel's occupation, with Maila and co. That likely won't get done for a good long while, so I thought I'd leave you at this let-off point for now. I really want to develop some of the other Grays, especially the Dansens and Clyde in particular, in the intervening chapters, but I really kinda want to start wrapping this story up. Granted, by wrapping up I mean…about 10-12 chapters left. Crap. Uhhhh yeah. This is gonna take a while.

Anyway, stay tuned for more. Hope you enjoyed this. Review as always.

_Oya, vode_.

\- CDrake


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